The episode of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah referring to President Droupadi Murmu in the singular while sympathising with her at a convention of the oppressed communities in Chitradurga drew sharp criticism from JD(S) State president H.D. Kumaraswamy who urged the Governor to sack him though the Chief Minister later expressed regret over his remark.
Earlier, while alleging that the President had been kept away from the inauguration of new Parliament building and Ram Mandir consecration event, Mr. Siddaramaiah on Sunday spoke sympathetically towards her but referred to her in the singular.
Soon after Mr. Kumaraswamy’s criticism, the Chief Minister offered his regret over such a remark. “I referred to the President in the singular by mistake as I got emotional when recalling that she had not been invited to the inauguration of the Ram temple. I regret over it,” he said. He made it clear that it was a practice for people like him who came from villages to refer to the elders, including parents, in the singular. However, it was not disrespect, he said, while stating that he had a lot of respect towards the President.
