Bengaluru witnessed high drama during the special joint session of the Karnataka Legislature convened by the Congress-led state government to discuss the Centre’s decision on the controversial ‘G Ram G’ scheme, which the state has strongly opposed. The session earlier saw sharp exchanges over the Governor’s address, triggering political tension in the House.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah responded to the debate on the Governor’s speech on Monday, choosing to lighten the mood with a dose of humour. While addressing concerns raised by the opposition over the recent hike in liquor prices in the state, the Chief Minister made a tongue-in-cheek comparison of beer prices across states.
Siddaramaiah said that a bottle of Kingfisher beer costs Rs 225 in Karnataka, while the same is priced at Rs 125 in neighbouring Telangana, prompting laughter from the treasury benches.
Reacting to remarks by Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka, who had raised the issue of rising liquor prices in the Assembly, the Chief Minister continued in a lighter vein. “There is a beer called Royal Strong. Have you tried it, Ashoka? You would know only if you’ve tasted it,” Siddaramaiah quipped, drawing laughter across party lines.
Despite the humour, the Chief Minister reiterated the state government’s firm opposition to the Centre’s policy and defended the need for a special joint session to debate the issue. The remarks, however, briefly eased tensions in an otherwise heated session marked by political sparring over federal issues and the Governor’s role.
