Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Aug 5: State energy minister D K Shivakumar who is in the eye of the storm after the income tax (I-T) department conducted a three-day raid on his residences and resort in multiple locations, on Saturday August 5 apologised for the statements made by his mother Gowramma against chief minister Siddaramaiah.

Shivakumar's mother had accused Siddaramaiah of 'masterminding' the I-T raids on her son and said that Shivakumar's growing popularity was disliked by the CM and others, and the raids were conducted to slander his name out of fear that he may one day become the chief minister.

In statement issued to the media, Shivakumar said, "I publicly apologise for the statements made by my mother while interacting with the media from her house in Kodihalli while raids were being conducted on my residence.

"My aged mother is not educated. She does not know under whose purview the I-T department falls, nor is she is aware of it. When she came under emotional stress and pressure because of the raids, some of the media took undue advantage of her innocence and made her give statements against the chief minister," he said.

"I apologise to the people of the state as well as to the chief minister for the remarks made by mother. There was no motive behind the remarks. The chief minister has always supported me and encouraged me. I thank the chief minister, party workers and all who have protected me and my family by standing firmly with us in times of difficulty," Shivakumar said.