Bengaluru, Jun 3 (IANS): Former Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Monday slammed Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar over his ‘black magic’ remarks and said that god Rajarajeshwara will punish him for peddling lies against his family.

“I had gone to Kabini backwaters (bordering with Kerala) for resting with with my grandson. This was twisted, and it was alleged that I had gone to Kerala to conduct black magic. I will leave the matter to the god Rajarajeshwara. Let Rajarajeshwara punish him,” Kumaraswamy told media persons after holding a meeting with JD-S legislators. 

Last week Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar alleged that the political opponents are performing black magic through ‘Aghoris’ and ‘tantriks’ at a temple in Kerala against him and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and their government. 

The Deputy Chief Minister said that he had received credible information that a ‘Yagna’ (special worship) was conducted by ‘Aghoris’ at an isolated place near the Rajarajeshwara temple in Kerala in which 21 red goats, three buffaloes, 21 black sheep, and five pigs are being sacrificed to perform the black magic. 

“Why would I sacrifice animals? As per the law, sacrificing buffalo or sheep is a crime. These rumours are being spread to vitiate the minds of people against my family. He (Shivakumar) is trying to destroy the whole family of former PM Deve Gowda. This propaganda is part of his agenda,” Kumaraswamy said. 

Quoting a proverb, Kumaraswamy said, "The tongue has no bones, yet it crushes bones." 

“My family has never indulged in sacrificing animals. We worship gods according to the traditions of the Hindu religion. We visit temples but do not conduct Yagnas. Performing Yagas is part of Shivakumar’s culture,” Kumaraswamy said. 

He said that his family’s name is being mentioned repeatedly without any evidence. 

“I became Chief Minister twice not by sacrificing animals but by the grace of God. My father also did not become the Prime Minister of this country by sacrificing animals but because of his hard work,” the former Chief Minister said. 

He said that Shivakumar should not play with the religious sentiments of people. “If he has information regarding black magic then let him constitute a Special Investigating Team (SIT) to investigate the matter,” Kumaraswamy said. 

He alleged that Shivakumar is doing all this because of his party’s alliance with the BJP. 

After facing criticism, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar on Saturday clarified that he had only said that the black magic rituals are taking place near a Kerala temple, not inside it.