Karnataka Food and Civil Supplies Minister Umesh Katti on Wednesday drew flak from Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa and opposition parties for reportedly asking a farmer to die when he requested to increase the supply of rice through the Public Distribution System. Katti later withdrew his statement, tendered an apology and said he never wanted anyone to die and that everyone should prosper.
Ishwar, a farmer activist from Gadag in north Karnataka, rang up Katti on Wednesday and asked him how he expected people to survive on just 2 kg of rice a month when the lockdown had rendered thousands jobless.
To Ishwar's query, the minister replied that the Union government would be giving five kg of foodgrain in May and June in light of the lockdown. This did not satisfy the farmer, who then sought to know whether people should fast till that period or die.