I never had plans to give gold coins: KB Koliwad

Bengaluru: Even as the opposition JD(S), BJP and KPCC president Dr G. Parameshwar came out against the proposed move to give gold coins to legislators on the occasion of the diamond jubilee of Vidhana Soudha, speaker, K.B. Koliwad strongly argued that there was no such proposal before the legislature.

A visibly angry Koliwad put the blame on the media saying it was spreading false news. “I know what you do. You go to council chairman D.H. Shankaramurthy and tell him that Koliwad had said something which I never said. Then you come to me and say that Mr Shankaramurthy said so. This is not acceptable. The media is misleading the public by creating false news,” Mr Koliwad said.

Earlier in the day, opposition leader Jagadish Shettar, KPCC president Dr G. Parameshwar and planning minister M.R. Seetharam were among the top leaders who opposed the move to give gold coins. BJP  MLC Lehar Singh  said  time was ripe for bringing both the council chairman and assembly secretary under the purview of the Transparency Act.

About spending Rs 20 crore on jubilee celebrations, Mr Koliwad shot back saying the  legislature secretariat had prepared a list and if he (reporter) approached the secretariat, they would give a copy. Asked if  CM  had approved the proposal, Mr Koliwad said, “I do not know. We sent a proposal to him. We have explained in detail why we have to spend so much money. Hope he will approve it.”