Bengaluru: A Karnataka minister, reportedly in a rush, was seen on camera throwing sports gear from the stage at athletes in the state's Karwar area. In a viral video, Karnataka Revenue Minister RV Deshpande can be seen tossing sports kits at national, state and district-level athletes at an event in Haliyal on Wednesday.
Mr Deshpande, who was in his home constituency to inaugurate an indoor stadium, was apparently in a hurry to go somewhere. After the inauguration and speeches by guests, the minister began distributing the kits. The list of beneficiaries was long, and as officials started calling out the names, and they took time to reach the stage, Mr Deshpande decided to fling the kits. The visibly upset minister also asked them to stand near the stage and catch them.
In August, another Karnataka minister had flung biscuit packets at flood victims at a relief camp in Hassan. The video was soon looped by TV channels and circulated on social media.
HD Revanna, brother of Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, was slammed as "insensitive" by users on Twitter and Facebook.
But Mr Kumaraswamy defended his brother and said, "There were a lot of people there and not enough space to move."
The BJP had termed it as the minister's "arrogance" and criticised his "uncivilised behaviour".