CM Siddaramaiah finally bows to Centre's order, does away with Lal Batti

CM Siddaramaiah finally bows to Centre's order, does away with Lal Batti

Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's reluctance to do away with the beacon on his official vehicle was quite evident when he retorted to media persons that the same needs to be removed from May 1.

"Why should I remove? It is to be removed from May 1," he told reporters on Tuesday when they sought to know whether he has got the red beacon removed from his vehicle.

However, sensing some derision following his statement, the Chief Minister's office mentioned that no notification had been received from the Centre yet in this regard adding that the CM has ordered the removal of beacon from his car but the vehicles of other ministers still have beacons.

Food and Civil Supplies Minister U T Khader, who still has a red beacon on his official vehicle, said he does not have powers to order its removal. "I am not the owner of the vehicle. It is given by the government. Hence, the government will take a decision on removing the beacon."