DVS sees red over remarks on his smile

Tongue-in-cheek comments on his ever-smiling bearing irked Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda who flew into a rage for the remarks on his happy disposition, on Monday.

Gowda, who was participating at Raithotsava 2012 in Bangalore, retorted to the remarks by K S Puttannaiah, president of the Karnataka Rajya Raita Sangha. 

Addressing the gathering, Puttannaiah said the ever-smiling Sadananda Gowda should also ensure that he brings ‘smile on the faces of the poor farmers’. 

“It is not enough that he alone smiles. The chief minister should ensure that farmers’ suicide is checked.”

Enraged over the remarks, Gowda said he would not tolerate people taking a dig at him. “I am like this only – I was born smiling. If people think it is something to be made fun of, I will not tolerate,” he said. 

Puttanaiah interjected by apologising. But, Gowda was not pacified. “Those who are seen smiling all the time are termed crazy. But, I don’t belong to that category. It’s not right to speak about my smile in a demeaning manner,” he added. Puttanaiah later came up to the podium and apologised to the chief minister.