Minister Khuba talks rough with farmer, audio clip goes viral

KALABURAGI: An audio clip, purportedly of Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Bhagavant Khuba allegedly talking disrespectfully with a farmer regarding supply of fertiliser, went viral on social media on Thursday. The clip is about a person claiming to be a farmer from Hedagapur village of Aurad taluk speaking on phone with the minister. The farmer tells the minister that there was good rain last night, but the village has not received fertiliser.

To this, the minister allegedly replies that there are MLAs and officials to look after local problems, and his duty was to provide fertiliser to the state, which he has done.  The conversation goes on for about four minutes, with the farmer urging the minister to look into the issue. The farmer was heard telling the minister that people will teach him a lesson in the next elections. The minister was also heard saying that he is ready for such threats.

Meanwhile, Khuba issued a clarification on Thursday stating that the person who spoke with him on the phone on June 10 was not a farmer but a teacher in a government school. The minister said the person tried to contact him over phone 3-4 times. As the minister thought that there may be some important problem, he called him. The person, on the pretext of asking about fertiliser, used derogatory words, and not him, the minister said. Khuba said the audio was edited and a selective part was made viral to defame him and his party.