BUSY SCHEDULE: At the end of a hectic week, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy appears to be exhausted during the Janata Darshan in Bangalore on Saturday. — Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

BANGALORE: It was sheer desperation that brought Radhabai Rajapur from Navanagar in Bagalkot town to Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy's Janata Darshan here on Saturday.

Mother of three visually challenged grown-up children, she is wife to a man with a disability. "I work as a maid in four houses to earn money. But this is not enough to maintain four members," she told The Hindu , tears welling in her tired eyes.

Ms. Rajapur had come to Bangalore with her three sons to meet the Chief Minister. "I borrowed Rs. 1,000 to come here," she said. "The money I earn is not sufficient to run the household. I hope the Chief Minister will help me out." Her pleas before taluk and district officials for help had received no response, she added.

Official apathy is also the reason for Nimmalamma, an elderly woman from Subramanyapura in Bangalore, coming to meet Mr. Kumaraswamy. She is pleading the case of her son Laxmana who worked as a safai karamchari for the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike. "He was dismissed shortly after he met with an accident. It is difficult without his earnings," Ms. Nimmalamma said, adding he used to be sole breadwinner.

"The Chief Minister promised to take action during the last Janata Darshan. But till now no action is forthcoming. I do not how to pay the electricity bill of Rs. 587," said the disappointed Ms. Nimmalamma, who was among the many visitors who failed to meet the Chief Minister on Saturday.

A large number of people fcame to meet the Chief Minister during the Janata Darshan that was held after a hiatus of five weeks. Security personnel took down the names of all those who entered Krishna, his official residence. The Chief Minister received 3,500 petitions during the 13-hourJanata Darshan. Even as he promised the supplicants help, Mr. Kumaraswamy took some officials to task. He was visibly irritated with an Education Department official for transferring a teacher with a disability to a faraway place. He assured Bharati, a resident of Kalamarahalli near Challakere, that Rs. 25,000 would be granted from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund to help set up a business unit. The Chief Minister distributed loans of Rs. 32.35 lakh among 185 persons belonging the backward classes.

Speaking to reporters, Mr. Kumaraswamy reiterated that official apathy towards people's problems was leading to an increase in the number of visitors to the Janata Darshan. He said a meeting of officials had been called on May 25 and a decision on the reshuffle of officials would be taken after that.

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