Def ministry says Ktka minister's behaviour unfortunate; state govt hits back at Sitharaman

A day after the public spat between Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Karnataka Minister Sa Ra Mahesh over her itinerary, the defence ministry today termed his conduct as "unfortunate", but the state government hit back saying it was not inferior to the Centre and she should have shown respect to its minister.

Sitharaman was speaking at the district commissioner's office with a group of affected people of Kodagu district, where torrential rains had left a huge trail of destruction and claimed at least 17 lives, when Mahesh suggested that she wind up the interaction as a number of government officials were waiting for a meeting with her. Sitharaman, a Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka, reacted tersely saying she was going by the itinerary approved by the state authorities.

"I am following a minute-to-minute programme, minister. I do not violate that. If officials are important, my parivaar (family) is also equally important. I follow the minister-in-charge. Central minister follows the minister in-charge here. Unbelievable," a visibly miffed Sitharaman told Mahesh, who was sitting next to her, in full view of officials and the media.

"You have a list of minute-to-minute programme for me to follow. If you did have a difference of opinion, you should have sorted it out before," Sitharaman said.

When an official told her that media was recording her comments, she said "Let it get recorded."