BENGALURU: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has handed over his Hublot wrist watch to Legislative Assembly Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa. The expensive wrist piece was gifted to him last July by his friend Girish Chandra Varma, who is based in Dubai.
In a letter written to the Speaker, the CM said, “I, being the Chief Minister of Karnataka, by following the precedents set by the predecessors in office, declare that the gifted watch Hublot Big Bang.301-M as a government asset and hand over this watch to the Speaker of Karnataka Legislative Assembly, to forward the same to the Chief Secretary, to place the same in the Cabinet Hall in Vidhana Soudha, on this March 2, 2016.”
The Opposition had attacked the chief minister over possessing such an expensive wrist watch. He said, “Dr Varma gifted me the watch in July last when he visited India. I am a close friend of his since 1983.” A huge ruckus was made in both Houses of the State Legislature on the issue. While the Council was adjourned for the day soon after the Opposition members trooped into well of the house in the morning, the Assembly was adjourned after the Chief Minister handed over the watch to the Speaker.
