Home Articles Karnataka: After ban on bouquets, Bommai says ‘no need for Guard of...
KEY STORY
After banning bouquets, shawls and garlands at government functions and replacing them with books, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj S Bommai has said there is no need for the guard of honour at airports and other public places.
The CM had called bouquets as “wasteful expenditure”.
Speaking in Mangaluru, the CM said that he would soon issue an order banning guard of honour given to him and other ministers at every district and public place during their visits.
“I have said that there is no need for a Guard of Honour at airports and other public places. It is not required at the district level every time I visit. I will issue a direction soon after going to Bengaluru tomorrow,” PTI quoted Bommai as saying.
As per the government sources, Bommai asked officials in Mangaluru that there was no need for such a “pompous show”.
This comes after the Chief Minister on Tuesday said that gifting memorabilia, garlands and shawls, were an unnecessary expenditure and insisted that officials give Kannada books instead.
CONCLUSION
The Chief Secretary had issued a circular directing not to give garland, shawls, flower bouquets, fruit baskets, and memorabilia at meetings and events by the state government and the government-run institutions. All department heads and government undertakings have been asked to comply with the directions.
Meanwhile, members of the South India Floriculture Association (SIFA), flower and fruit growers, and vendors staged a protest, demanding Bommai to withdraw his order banning presenting of bouquets, flowers, garlands and other perishable items like fruit baskets at official functions.
SIFA termed Bommai’s order “unscientific” and called it a direct assault on flower-growers who are one of the worst-affected during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Twitterati was divided on the decision, with netizens taking sides with flower and fruit growers and vendors, while some hailed the decision.
