more-in Though the Udupi district administration hosted the Tipu Jayanti celebrations at the District Offices Complex Hall amid tight security here on Friday, a notable absentee was the Minister for Fisheries, Youth Empowerment and Sports, Pramod Madhwaraj, who is also the district in-charge Minister. His absence raised many an eyebrow as Mr. Madhwaraj was present in the district and had attended a function at Pambur at around 9.30 a.m. He was scheduled to attend the Tipu Jayanti celebrations at 10.30 a.m. But he did not make it. However, the Minister came to the Deputy Commissioner’s Office at around 12.30 p.m. after the Jayanti celebrations to chair official meetings. When presspersons questioned him about his absence at the Tipu Jayanti celebrations here, Mr. Madhwaraj said that he had to attend a programme which had been fixed earlier. Hence, he was not able to attend the Tipu Jayanti celebrations. It was not binding on a district in-charge Minister to attend all the Jayanti celebrations. He had not participated in the Valmiki Jayanti, Bhagiratha Jayanti, Rani Kittur Chennamma Jayanti, Hemareddy Malamma Jayanti and Kempe Gowda Jayanti held earlier. He had also not attended the Tipu Jayanti celebrations for the last two years. “But none of you questioned me on that. Why are you asking about this now?” he said. When presspersons said that this was a “prestige function” for the government, Mr. Madhwaraj said that this was all the creation of the media. Some people were needlessly creating controversies, he said. When it was pointed out that his absence had not gone down well with some Muslims, he said that it was a democracy and everybody was free to express their opinions. Asked if he had deliberately skipped the function to keep away from controversy as elections were nearing, Mr. Madhwaraj said: “Why should I deliberately skip the function? If that is your analysis, I have no objection. You are free to do so.”

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