D K Shivakumar (L) and H D Kumaraswamy (R).
Credit: PTI File Photos
Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday went after Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy and his family's ownership of immovable assets, daring the JD(S) leader to come clean about this.
“Kumaraswamy was a film producer and a contractor. His brother Balakrishna was a government officer. His father (H D Deve Gowda) did not own any lands. Tell people how your family got so much lands? Tell people about your land deals,” Shivakumar said at a rally in Bidadi.
The rally was the first by Congress to counter the Opposition BJP-JD(S) foot march to Mysuru starting Saturday.
Shivakumar, who is also Karnataka Congress president, claimed that Kumaraswamy's family owns lands in Bidadi, Kumbalgod, Gubbi, Chikkagubbi, Yelahanka, Hassan and Nelamangala. "Let him disclose the value of his properties,” he said.
"You have reminded me of a few things in the last one year," Shivakumar said, addressing Kumaraswamy. "I had forgotten about you lodging a case against me and my family through your brother Balakrishna. I had also forgotten about you lodging a complaint against Balagangadharanatha Swami through Chandrappa. I will expose how a government employee made assets worth thousands of crores,” he said.
Shivakumar said the BJP-JD(S) foot march is "a padayatra of the corrupt, by the corrupt and for the corrupt".
'Conspiracy to put me back in jail'
Shivakumar on Friday claimed that plans were afoot to send him back to jail.
“I know a big conspiracy is underway to put me in jail," Shivakumar told reporters. "Many more like me will take birth in Congress”. Shivakumar said the Enforcement Directorate case in which he went to jail was set aside by the Supreme Court. "Does (BJP state president) BY Vijayendra know this?" he said.
"Who's responsible for scams that happened when BJP was in power? We're asking questions," Shivakumar asked.