Why is Ktk govt wasting money on iPhones to state MPs, asks BJP MP

Questioning Karnataka Government's move to distribute iPhones to 40 MPs from the state, a BJP MP has returned the costly gadget and said the state should not waste public money when farmers and civic workers are in distress.

Asked about the issue today, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, who was in the national capital, said that he was not aware of it.

"I don't know about this issue. It is not in the knowledge of the (state) government. I don't know where the news has come from. I don't have information about that," he told reporters, adding he would collect the details from his office.

Recently, the Karnataka government had given an iPhone, one leather bag and a folder along with the invitation requesting the state MPs to attend the meeting scheduled on July 18 at Karnataka Bhavan here.

The issues to be discussed in the meeting include Cauvery river water sharing with Tamil Nadu and pending projects with central government.

Accepting the invitation, BJP MP from Karnataka Rajiv Chandrashekar returned the "costly iPhone" saying that the government should use this money to pay salaries of civic workers in Bengalure.

"I want to bring to your notice that along with an agenda folder, your government has sent a costly iPhone worth more than Rs 1 lakh to me. My conscience will not permit to accept this phone and hence I am returning it," he said in a letter to the CM.

Chandrashekar suggested that the chief minister use this money to pay civic workers salary, who have been striving hard to keep Bengalure clean.

He said that the chief minister was talking about cutting down unnecessary expenditure and the government was not able to pay even the salary of civic workers.

"One civic worker committed suicide and farmers in the state are also facing huge debt. In this situation, the public money should not be spent unnecessarily," he added.

The chief minister is here for two-days to meet various Union ministers to discuss the pending projects in the state and also hold a meeting with Karnataka MPs on state issues to be raised during monsoon session of Parliament.