From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Feb 10: Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar asserted that his brother and MP D K Suresh isn’t the type who is scared of threats and warned that all dares will be handled ‘appropriately’.
Speaking to media persons at the Congress party’s manifesto committee meeting, he said, “D K Suresh isn’t the type who is scared by threats. We know how to deal with threats and we have settled many such threats in the past.”
Replying to a reporter who pointed out that BJP leader K S Eshwarappa was not ready to apologize for his comments on D K Suresh and warning that he will be shot, the Deputy Chief Minister said: ``We have not demanded his apology. No one is asking him to apologize.’’
He, however, declared, “Every action has a consequence. He once spoke about my father in the Assembly and everyone knows what happened after that. Where is Eshwarappa today? If Eshwarappa wants to shoot D K Suresh, let him do it because my brother is not scared of such threats.’’
“We have been in politics for long and we know how to handle such threats,’’ he declared.
Manifesto Committee to Collect Feedback
The KPCC Chief said the meeting of the Congress manifesto committee is happening today. The Chief Minister is also a member of the committee and it has had many meetings.
“Today’s meeting is to collect feedback from the people and institutions. Congress Manifesto Committee Chairman P Chidambaram was supposed to attend the meeting,” he said.
“About 150 people and institutions were invited for discussions today. We are keeping in mind the welfare of all sections and the security of the country while preparing the manifesto,’’ he explained.
Shivakumar said the Guarantee Schemes launched by our government has become a role model in the country. Similarly, we will have a lot of actionable promises in the manifesto too.
He said, “INDIA bloc will also collect opinion about the manifesto. Together, we will try to bring change and revolution in the country. We are committed to the livelihoods of the people rather than emotions.”
The Deputy Chief Minister said the Congress-led UPA regime headed by former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh had planned and worked for building lives of the people during the 10 years while the Narendra Modi’ BJP regime has no such plans. It was the UPA regime which brought in Food Security Act, Employment Guarantee Scheme and Right to Education and such other revolutionary measures, he said.
Even though Karnataka is a progressive state, the 61% population is still living in rural areas and 98% of the State’s tax mobilisation is from the urban areas with rural areas contributing barely 4%. The State can progress with agriculture, horticulture and other commercial crops.
Shivakumar said he and Siddaramaiah were in favour of offering up to 300 units of free power. But the proposal was scaled down to 200 units after examining the facts, he explained.
The BJP, which criticised the Congress party’s Guarantees as ‘freebies’ and accused that it would lead to bankruptcy, has now started talking about the Modi guarantees, he said.
He said the families are able to save Rs 1500 due to the Gruhajyothi scheme every month and another Rs 2000 to woman head of the family and people are able to save Rs 3000 a month under Shakti scheme. All the five guarantees together help in saving Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000 a month, he added.
The Deputy Chief Minister attacked Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for blaming the Finance Commission for the cut in allocations to Karnataka. The Union Finance Minister should remember that the budget is prepared by her and not the Finance Commission. She can take steps to redress the injustice, he said.