I used to steal cigarette puffs as a school kid: Siddaramaiah
In a conversation with school kids the CM talked about his smoking habit and how he gave up
FromWinston Churchill to Joseph Stalin , we have seen many politicians who smoked profusely. The chief minister of Karnataka , Siddaramaiah , was no different. However, while many failed, our CM identified the wickedness of the habit and gave up smoking before it was too late.
In a conversation with school kids in a programme organised by the Forum of Legislators for Children Rights and Child Rights Commission in the Conference Hall of theVidhana Soudha on Thursday, the CM confessed he had had a puff or two, during his school days.
Quickly realising who he was talking to, Siddaramaiah simply confessed that he gave up smoking soon after he realised it was a vice. “It is not good from the health point of view and I gave up those habits and no one must develop such habits in their lives,” he emphatically advised the kids.
At the same time he roped in the primary education minister Kimmane Ratnakar and said, “We will tell the education department to issue instructions to school teachers not to send students on errands like buying tobacco-related products.”
As the conversation flowed, Siddaramaiah took a trip down memory lane. “I had no formal education like all of you have had during childhood. I was directly admitted to 5th standard and on Saturdays and Sundays I used go to riverside to graze buffaloes and swim in the river or wrestle with friends. In fact, I first wore trousers and sandals when I joined 8th standard! Till then I used to roam all around in half-pants,” the nostalgic CM added.
Two students chosen from every district took part in the event.
Earlier, Siddaramaiah condemned recent incidents ofsexual assault on children in schools.
AS THE WORDS FLOW
THE INTERACTIONthat went on for couple of hours saw the students from various districts posing blunt questions to the CM. He tackled them well, while not hiding his amusement at their frankness.
H Nagarathna, Class X, 8Yelaburga, Koppal You reward students who pass with flying colours with scholarships and publish their photographs in newspapers. Similarly, why don’t you provide scholarships to those who failed too so that they too can focus more and study hard? CM: (Bursts into laughter) If I do as you say, then I have to do it for thousands of students. But that does not mean that we are not doing anything for them. The education department is conducting counselling and special coaching classes for those students who are lagging behind in studies and help focus more on studies.
Vaishnavi, Class X, Kundapur, 8Udupi district Government has made it mandatory for private schools to admit 25 per cent of students under right to education (RTE) and their fees will be reimbursed by the government. Instead, why don’t you spend the same money on improving infrastructure of government schools so that more students join government schools? CM: You are right and I will discuss about it with my officials. But government is keen on improving infrastructure in government schools and has set aside several crores. We will spend more and ensure that even government schools too have facilities that are found in private schools.
Mahipal Reddy, Class X, Yadgir Everybody says that by joining school, we will have a bright future, gain knowledge and earn decent salary. But kids in my place, including me, used to go to masonry work and earn Rs 350 per day. Isn’t that better than attending school? After the initial perplexity, %Siddaramaiah promptly convinced Reddy that forcing kids to work is against the law and %kids till the age of 14 must get compulsory education. %Attending school would really %help them achieve greater heights.
From
In a conversation with school kids in a programme organised by the Forum of Legislators for Children Rights and Child Rights Commission in the Conference Hall of the
“Many of my teachers used to send me out to buy cigarettes and beedis. And whenever there was no matchbox to light it they used to send me out to light the cigarattes and beedis from the burning embers in the neighbourhood. While running back with the lighted cigarette or beedi I used to steal a puff before handing it over to them,” Siddaramaiah said while answering a question forwarded by two tenth standard students Sandeep and Amin Saab from Gulbarga. The answer was in response to a serious question from the students, seeking a remedy to the problem of teachers sending school kids out to buy ciggies.
Quickly realising who he was talking to, Siddaramaiah simply confessed that he gave up smoking soon after he realised it was a vice. “It is not good from the health point of view and I gave up those habits and no one must develop such habits in their lives,” he emphatically advised the kids.
At the same time he roped in the primary education minister Kimmane Ratnakar and said, “We will tell the education department to issue instructions to school teachers not to send students on errands like buying tobacco-related products.”
As the conversation flowed, Siddaramaiah took a trip down memory lane. “I had no formal education like all of you have had during childhood. I was directly admitted to 5th standard and on Saturdays and Sundays I used go to riverside to graze buffaloes and swim in the river or wrestle with friends. In fact, I first wore trousers and sandals when I joined 8th standard! Till then I used to roam all around in half-pants,” the nostalgic CM added.
Two students chosen from every district took part in the event.
Earlier, Siddaramaiah condemned recent incidents of
AS THE WORDS FLOW
THE INTERACTIONthat went on for couple of hours saw the students from various districts posing blunt questions to the CM. He tackled them well, while not hiding his amusement at their frankness.
H Nagarathna, Class X, 8Yelaburga, Koppal You reward students who pass with flying colours with scholarships and publish their photographs in newspapers. Similarly, why don’t you provide scholarships to those who failed too so that they too can focus more and study hard? CM: (Bursts into laughter) If I do as you say, then I have to do it for thousands of students. But that does not mean that we are not doing anything for them. The education department is conducting counselling and special coaching classes for those students who are lagging behind in studies and help focus more on studies.
Vaishnavi, Class X, Kundapur, 8Udupi district Government has made it mandatory for private schools to admit 25 per cent of students under right to education (RTE) and their fees will be reimbursed by the government. Instead, why don’t you spend the same money on improving infrastructure of government schools so that more students join government schools? CM: You are right and I will discuss about it with my officials. But government is keen on improving infrastructure in government schools and has set aside several crores. We will spend more and ensure that even government schools too have facilities that are found in private schools.
Mahipal Reddy, Class X, Yadgir Everybody says that by joining school, we will have a bright future, gain knowledge and earn decent salary. But kids in my place, including me, used to go to masonry work and earn Rs 350 per day. Isn’t that better than attending school? After the initial perplexity, %Siddaramaiah promptly convinced Reddy that forcing kids to work is against the law and %kids till the age of 14 must get compulsory education. %Attending school would really %help them achieve greater heights.
