Bengaluru, Aug 3 (IANS): Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy on Saturday challenged the Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar over the ‘survival’ of the Congress government in the state.
“Not 10 years, we will see whether you will remain in power in the next 10 months. Your pot of sins is overflowing,” said Kumaraswamy while referring to the remarks of Shivakumar that the Congress will remain in power for the next 10 years in the state.
He said that it was Shivakumar who had provided documents against Siddaramaiah and was also orchestrating press conferences and statements against the Chief Minister.
“After doing all this, you (Shivakumar) are enacting a drama of defending Siddaramaiah,” said Kumaraswamy while addressing a gathering at the Mysuru Chalo Padayatra in Bengaluru.
He said that under no circumstances the BJP and JD(S) will remain divided. “There might be confusion between us but this alliance will remain intact until the Congress government isn't uprooted from the state.
He said that the padayatra (foot march) had been organised to create awareness among people to overthrow the ruling Congress.
“What property did Shivakumar possess before entering politics? He possessed one black and white television and a DVD player. He has Rs 1,500 crores of property now. Shivakumar has said that he is ready to go to jail. I am not conspiring against him to send him to jail,” said Kumaraswamy.
He said that in the Yadgir district, a police inspector committed suicide as he was unable to pay a bribe of Rs 20 lac to retain his posting in the police station.
“He belonged to the SC community. This is the justice the Congress government which claims to be a champion of Dalits,” said Kumaraswamy.
He said that during the tenure of Siddaramaiah as the Chief Minister between 2013 and 2017, honest police officer Kallappa Handibagh ended his life, he belonged to Siddaramaiah’s community.
“I am not pursuing caste politics. I want to ask the SC-ST community that a Chief Minister who can’t give justice to an officer from his community what can they expect from him,” he said.
He said that in the MUDA land case, Siddaramaiah got the right to obtain as many sites as he wished.
“This is completely against the law that the government land is registered in the name of Chief Minister’s brother-in-law. Change of land use was made without spot inspection. In the Tribal Welfare Board case, Siddaramaiah has agreed that it is not Rs 187 crore but it is Rs 87 crore which was misappropriated,” said Kumaraswamy.