Bengaluru, July 29 -- Senior Congress leader and former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday criticised the appointment of Pralhad Joshi as the Union Education Minister, alleging that the decision had left Kannadigas "ashamed" and demanding his immediate removal from the portfolio.

In a post on X, Siddaramaiah wrote, "We should have been proud that a Member of Parliament from Karnataka had become the country's Education Minister. Instead, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appointed Pralhad Joshi - an MP who defended those convicted of raping a woman - leaving Kannadigas ashamed."

He alleged that Joshi and outgoing Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan were "ideological twins" and claimed that both had entered politics throu...