From Our Special Correspondent

Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Nov 17: In the non-stop bitter slugfest over his alleged ‘’power theft’’ and paying the charges and penalty of Rs 68,526, JD(S) leader and former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy on Friday claimed that the Bescom bill for the charges and penalty for the alleged ‘’power theft’’ at his J P Nagar residence here for Deepavali decorations was ‘’faulty’’.

Addressing an emergency press conference at the party office, he demanded an explanation for the ‘’faulty’’ bill and contended that the entire issue was blown out of proportion to ‘’tarnish his image’’ despite his apology and offer to pay the charges and the penalty.

Spewing venom at the Congress government and targeting his political rival as well as Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, whom Kumaraswamy described as ‘’Duplicate CM’’ and charged the government for attacking him out of ‘’political vendetta’’.

"I am not afraid of the government. I have the necessary strength to fight the political vendetta,’’ he said urging the government to conduct any inquiry and declared that he was ready to face any probe.

Kumaraswamy raised the tempo and lashed out at Shivakumar and alleged that ‘’Shivakumar had swindled 24 acres of Kharab land for the construction of the Lulu Mall near Sujatha cineme theatre near the Minerva Mill area,’’ and asked the government to order a probe into the scandal and offered to release all the documents pertaining to the “”Lulu Mall land scam".

The JD(S) leader declared that he was ‘’ready to face any probe regarding the Jantakal Mining or his own Bidadi farmhouse property.’’

"All I demand is that the probe should be conducted at the earliest possible time and the truth should come out. I am waiting,’’ he asserted.

The former chief minister said:"Kumaraswamy is not a coward to be intimidated by any threats of probe. If anybody thinks they can silence me by holding threats, they are mistaken. They don’t know Kumaraswamy.’’

Targeting Agriculture Minister N Cheluvarayaswamy, who is also a Vokkaliga like Kumaraswamy and Shivakumar, the JD(S) leader ridiculed the minister for demanding a probe into the alleged ‘’encroachment of land’’ in the Bidadi farmhouse.

"If they can, they may unearth encroachment in four-five acres in my farmhouse property. I am not worried. Let them order the probe,’’ he said.

Kumaraswamy claimed that he had ‘’purchased the farmhouse at Bidadi 38 years ago and the issue had been probed ever since Ramakrishna Hegde was the chief minister.

"The Lokayukta and the CID had probed and could not find anything. Even the BJP government had ordered a probe. An officer Siddappa had submitted an adverse report and the issue went to High Court. Nothing has happened. They are welcome to order another probe,’’ he charged.

At the same time, he ridiculed the government for speaking about the alleged encroachment of land in his Bidadi farmhouse and remaining silent on the 24 acres of Kharad land being swallowed for the Lulu Mall, he said and pointed out that the land in which Lulu Mall exists is on 24 acres of Kharab land.

The land was allotted to the Minerva Mills in 1934, he said and disclosed that he has all the details of how the records pertaining to the land were burnt and destroyed. "I will release the documents soon,’’ he said.

Kumaraswamy urged the government to reopen the Jantakal Mining issue, which has been dragged for 13 years. "I am not running away. The Congress leaders who are demanding reopening the case, are welcome to do so,’’ he said.

The JD(S) leader said the Congress government had established ACB. "What did it achieve? What happened to the redo issue? What happened to the Kempanna committee report?" he asked and mentioned that the Congress party had allowed him to become chief minister for 14 months.

"Did I close any of the cases against me or hush up cases against me. When I raised the Hublot watch issue, I was threatened with arrest,’’ he said and mentioned that police officers Charan Reddy and Kempaiah had issued notices to him.

He disclosed that when he was about to be arrested and was advised by his lawyers to seek an anticipatory bail, he had refused. However, after his lawyers persisted, he agreed to seek an anticipatory bail. "I am ready to be probed and prepared to be jailed,’’ he said.

On the video clipping of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s son Dr Yatindra Siddaramaiah being allegedly involved in cash for posts and transfers scam, Kumaraswamy alleged that the point regarding the CSR funds being used for developing the government schools in Varuna assembly constituency was at the behest of Shivakumar.