HDK Denies Puttaswamy's Charges, Vows to Expose BJP Scams
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Jun 15: Retaliating against the charges of earning Rs 167 crore from mining through the mining export firm, BSK Trading Corporation, by his family members as alleged by Chief Minister’s Political Secretary B J Puttaswamy, the State JD(S) President and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy totally denied the charges and vowed to continue exposing the corrupt deeds and scams of the Yeddyurappa regime.
''I cannot be silenced or cowed down by this type of sinister campaign,” the JD(S) leader said claimed: ''There are no illegalities involved in the business transaction of companies run by my brothers.”
Kumaraswamy said BSK Trading Corporation was owned by his elder brother H D Balakrishna Gowda, who was into the business since 2000 and exported iron ore from 2004-05 by purchasing it from mines owners. ''None of family members purchased iron ore from Mysore Minerals Ltd and sold it for higher profits as was done by a Congress leader,’’ he said.
''They purchased iron ore on payment of market rates and not by threat,” he said contending that they were not engaged in any irregularities.
Kumaraswamy sought to debunk Puttaswamy’s claim that his family was involved in illegal mining and that they had earned Rs 167 crore from the iron ore exports done by BSK Trading Corporation.
''Is he (Puttaswamy) so ignorant or stupid as to not know what is a family?,” he asked and answered the question by pointing out that his wife Anita and son Nikhil Gowda were his immediate family members. ''Are they involved in any illegal trading or mining activities or any other scams?,” he said agreeing to shoulder any blame or punishment if the ruling party was able to prove any of its charges.
Kumaraswamy explained that he was living separately with his family and sought to distance himself from the business activities of his brothers and other relatives. ''All the family property had been divided among the brothers way back in 1983 and all of us are living separately. None of the brothers are involved in the business activities of others,” he said.
The JD(S) leader pointed out that some of the ministers in the Yeddyurappa regime had filed a case against him over the Rs 150 crore bribery charge and other issues. It is known to everybody that the same ministers had to withdraw the case from the Supreme Court, when the apex court had made it clear that the case would be thrown out. He, however, chose not to name the Tourism Minister G Janardhana Reddy, who had leveled the charges and filed the cases.
He said an advocate has already filed a complaint before Lokayukta on the transaction of Rs 167 crore funds by firms owned by his family members and they have furnished replies to the notice issued by Lokayukta.
Similar allegations were levelled against him by a Congress leader in 2006 and it has been repeated now by Puttaswamy, Kumaraswamy said threatening to come out with more exposes on the scams.
''I will also expose the misdeeds and scandals of the Congress party. As far as JD(S) is concerned, the Congress and BJP are two sides of the same coin,” he asserted.