After ban on bouquets, Karnataka CM Bommai wants guard of honour to go

After doing away with the practice of giving bouquets, garlands, and memorabilia at government events, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj S Bommai on Thursday said that he would soon issue an order banning guard of honour given to him and other ministers at every district and public places during their visits. "I have said that there is no need for a Guard of Honour at airports and other public places. It is not required at the district level every time I visit. I will issue a direction soon after going to Bengaluru tomorrow," Bommai told reporters.

According to government sources, Bommai told officials in Mangaluru that there was no need for such "pompous show". On Tuesday, the Chief Minister said gifting memorabilia, garlands and shawls, were unnecessary expenditure. He insisted that officials give Kannada books instead. The Chief Secretary had issued a circular directing not to give garlands, shawls, flower bouquets, fruit baskets, and memorabilia at meetings and events by the state government and government-run institutions. All department heads and government undertakings have been asked to comply with the directions, it said.

It was earlier reported that CM Bommai, just days after taking oath as the CM, had announced banning of gifting garlands, shawls, mementos, etc as gifts at government and government-agency-hosted events as an austerity measure. He said that this common practice had to end in the state as they are an ‘unnecessary expenditure’. Instead, he advocated for gifting Kannada books to dignitaries. Following that, Chief Secretary P Ravi Kumar issued a circular at the direction of the Chief Minister.

According to the official circular issued to all department heads, visitors have now been asked to not gift garlands, shawls, bouquets, fruit baskets, and memorabilia. In a related development, his fellow cabinet member Energy and Kannada and Culture Minister V Sunil Kumar had said books gifted to him will be donated to the library in his constituency.