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Karnataka Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa was riled up when a student said during a video conference that the minister does not know Kannada. Speaking in Kannada, he described the remark as "stupid" and told authorities to take action against the student.
This happened during the launch of a free online coaching course for about 25,000 students preparing for competitive exams for admission to engineering and medical courses such as Karnataka Common Entrance Test, JEE and NEET.
In a video that has now circulated on social media, the minister is seen interacting with students via video conference. A voice is heard saying, "The Education Minister does not know Kannada." The minister promptly responded, "What? Who is it? Am I speaking Urdu?"
He then added, "Please record this and take action against him. This is very stupid. Tell the teacher and the BEO (Block Education Officer), this has to be taken up very seriously. I cannot sit quietly."
The minister's order for action against the student has drawn sharp criticism from the Opposition BJP. The official X handle of Karnataka BJP posted a cartoon of a student asking a question to the minister. The caption stated while the minister tells students to ask bold questions, "you are the one who calls the questioner stupid".
Pralhad Joshi, Union minister and MP from Karnataka, said in a post on X, "Hadn't Madhu Bangarappa publicly admitted that he doesn't know Kannada?? Why is the @INCKarnataka punishing the student who reminded him of this?? What are they trying to achieve here ?? What else can be expected of hopeless Congress??"