In one of the most dramatic events in the annals of Karnataka legislature, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday handed over his controversial diamond-studded Rs 70 lakh Hublot wristwatch to Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa in the ongoing Session to ‘retain it as a State asset’.
The Speaker, amidst the din over the ‘Watchgate’, displayed the wristwatch to the House and also read the affidavit given by Girish Chandra Verma, a friend of Siddaramaiah, who had gifted him the watch. According to the affidavit, Girish Chandra, who resides in Dubai, had gifted the watch to Siddaramaiah last year. However, not satisfied with handing over the watch to the Government, the Opposition members continued their dharna in the well of the House demanding a CBI probe into the issue and if necessary, arrest Verma.
In the House, BJP leader Jagadish Shettar demanded a CBI probe into the incident. He blamed the Chief Minister for playing high drama by handing over the watch to the Speaker without giving opportunity to the Opposition parties to seek clarifications.
However, reacting to Opposition, Siddaramaiah said,”During your (BJP) rule not even a single case was handed over to CBI but after the Congress came to power, five cases were referred to the agency. This issue was raised with political motive and only to tarnish my image,” Siddaramaiah said.
In his letter to the Speaker, Siddaramaiah said, “I, being the Chief Minister of Karnataka, by following the precedents set by the predecessors in office, declare that the gifted watch Hublot Big Bang.301-M a Government asset and hand it over to the Speaker of Karnataka legislative Assembly to forward the same to the Chief Secretary, to place the same in the Cabinet Hall at Vidhana Soudha, on this March 2, 2016.”
After completing reading the affidavit the Speaker adjourned the House for Thursday even as Opposition members continued their dharna shouting slogans against Siddaramaiah.