Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (RJP)
Bengaluru, May 31: JDS chief and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda said that Congress led state government was welcome to order a probe by CBI into the wealth possessed by him and his son H D Kumaraswamy.
Deve Gowda was speaking in a press conference called at his party office on Saturday.
Congress MLC Ugrappa had taken a dig at the Gowda family on Friday asking them to voluntarily come forward and offer to face an inquiry before the CBI.
Gowda shot back at Ugrappa saying that the Ugrappa’s own government was in power in the state and that it was free to order an inquiry.
Ugrappa had alleged that Kumaraswamy had encroached upon 57 acres of farmland near Bidadi, where he possessed around 200 acres of land. He had also said that the JD(S) leader had destroyed all documents pertaining to it.
In a reply to Ugrappa’s allegations, Gowda said that he had already furnished documents pertaining to the properties owned by him, his children and grandchildren, before the Lokayuktha.
“Let us go to Bidadi and see the extent of land ourselves. Former chief minister Ramakrishna Hedge had ordered an inquiry into the wealth owned by me, but it yielded nothing. Puttaswamy Gowda brought out a book, terming me the ‘king of corruption’, but then, too, nothing came out of it. Now, Ugrappa is levelling the same charges. I will be glad if they order a CBI probe at the earliest. I am ageing.” said Gowda.
“I am not keeping properties in my pocket. Anybody can visit my properties and enquire. But nobody should talk without proper evidence. The government and the chief minister Siddaramaiah are unhappy because JD(S) is exposing them. Our party is doing the work of opposition in a very efficient manner. Kumaraswamy is a fighter. He does not talk anything without proper evidence. He has lot of information on corrupt ministers in the cabinet.” Gowda added.
Gowda also said that when he meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 3 or 4 for tea, he would not volunteer any suggestions.
“I will only give my opinion if he asks for it,” he said. When asked if he would discuss the illegal lottery racket issue with Modi, Gowda said he now saw no point in it, as the matter was being probed by the CBI.