Patil ready to work as home minister

By NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: With Araga Jnanendra coming under criticism for his handling of the home portfolio, Agriculture Minister B.C. Patil on Friday said he is capable of handling the portfolio efficiently as he worked in the police department for 25 years.

He told reporters in Mysuru on Friday he has not considered the option yet as it is the prerogative of the chief minister to allot portfolios. In fact the incumbent home minister Araga Jnanendra is ‘efficiently’ managing the portfolio, he said adding that it was not wise to find mistakes in Araga’s style of functioning.

Patil also claimed some vested interests are trying to disturb peace in the state. After a youth put up objectionable content on social media, he was arrested but then a mob of over 2,000 people gathered demanding that the police hand over the accused to them. Is such an attitude right, he wondered and wanted such people to ask themselves if they were living in India or in a Taliban run state.

On the irregularities in the PSI selection exam, the minister said he was shocked to hear about it and said honesty and talent are two important things required to become a police officer.

It is not possible to work honestly if the selection has happened through money power, he said adding that people need not expect justice from such police officers. “Such a system did not exist when I wrote the PSI selection exam. The government must find out those involved in this scam and punish them,” Patil added.