H D Kumaraswamy.
Credit: DH Photo
Bengaluru: Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy says he has many documents which reveal the ‘illegal decisions’ taken by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah during his first tenure as chief minister, in 2015. In an exclusive interview with Rashmi Belur of DH, Kumaraswamy said he is waiting for the right time to release them.
You have threatened to expose an illegal mining scam by the Congress government. When can we expect from you?
My remarks were related to ‘illegal decisions’ taken by Siddaramaiah in 2015. I have all the documents and I am not in a hurry to release them now. I am waiting for the right time.
Your adversaries criticise you as a ‘hit-and-run’ person, for not releasing documents?
I have never raised any issue without evidence. I warn the Congress leaders to stop talking lightly. They criticised my ‘pen drive’ allegation. It is not a pen drive containing some obscene videos, but had evidence of corruption in the government. Even now I am ready to release it. Does the chief minister have the guts to take action against those involved? I want to tell the chief minister that the pen drive that I have is not like the one which his deputy distributed.
All Congress leaders say they stand with Siddaramaiah...
Siddaramaiah is going through what I once experienced. The person who then said he will be the ‘troubleshooter’ for Kumaraswamy and did what all he can to bring me down from power is the same person now trying his best to dethrone Siddaramaiah, by saying he will protect the CM like a ‘bande’ (rock). Everyone in the government is well aware about who is responsible for Siddaramaiah’s present situation.
Do you think the Congress government is trying to finish you off politically through an old case?
Even in the past, the then BJP chief minister issued a statement to finish off the H D Deve Gowda family politically. I had accepted the challenge and started my fight. The rest is now history. Siddaramaiah has dug his own grave by trying to finish off Deve Gowda’s family.
None of your party legislators is talking about the MUDA case.
It is my lone fight and I have not sought the support of my party legislators. I am facing the entire government all alone. Even a junior minister in Siddaramaiah’s Cabinet is passing remarks against me. I have documents against all ministers in the Siddaramaiah Cabinet, to prove how they have misused power. I am ready to release them. But does Siddaramaiah have the power to take action?
The chief minister says you might be arrested. The Lokayukta has sought permission to file a charge sheet against you.
Under the law, anyone involved in illegal activities has to be punished if the crime is proven. But what is Siddaramaiah doing, even though the documents have proved him guilty? That is the respect he has for the law. Let them make all efforts. I will not sit silent, I will start mine now.
There were reports that Minister Satish Jarkiholi had a secret meeting with you?
It was not a secret meeting. It is true that he met me in Delhi regarding pending works related to his department and sought my cooperation. No politics was discussed. He was earlier a JD(S) man. Even now, I have a lot of respect for him. Satish is a very straight-forward person and never indulges in ‘hide-and-seek’ politics.
Will the statements by BJP leader and Channapatna bypoll ticket aspirant C P Yogeshwar cause fissures in the JD(S)-BJP alliance?
Regarding Channapatna seat, we have not discussed anything so far. Neither the BJP high command nor the state leaders have discussed it with me. Before making such comments on the streets, they must think about the effect it has on the alliance. Such a decision should be taken within the four walls and not on the streets. He must understand that his statements may impact the alliance candidate in the byelections.