Foreign trips of ministers flayed

BANGALORE: Senior journalist Patil Puttappa on Saturday hit out at ministers who embarked upon foreign tours at the time of drought in the state.He was speaking at a programme organised by the Abhimaani Group where he was felicitated by Chief Minister D V Sadanand Gowda.After the felicitation, Puttappa told the CM, “You should ask your MLAs and ministers to tour the state first, and then go on foreign trips. They have to feel a sense of belonging to the state that they represent. Sadly, this feeling is on the verge of extinction.”Social Welfare Minister A Naraynaswamy and BJP State president K S Eshwarappa went on  foreign trips despite the CM asking ministers and officials to stay back and concentrate on the drought situation in the state.