People have rejected BJP-JDS padayatra: DCM DK Shivakumar

Bengaluru: Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Thursday said that the people have rejected the BJP-JDS padayatra as it lacks meaning and purpose.

Speaking to reporters at his Sadashivanagar residence, he said, “The BJP-JDS padayatra has received poor response from the people as it is not pro-people and lacks purpose. S M Krishna had done a padayatra for Cauvery water, Rahul Gandhi had taken up Bharat Jodo yatra to fight price and unemployment, We had taken up Ballary padayatra to protest against the mining scam. I had taken up padayatra for Mekedatu.”

“What is the purpose of BJP-JDS padayatra? They are doing this because they can’t digest the fact that an OBC leader has become the CM for the second term. People are not responding to their padayatra. JDS workers are not actively participating in the yatra. If you watch the TV reports, you will know that there were hardly any JDS workers. The BJP has brought party workers from other states,” he said.

“The BJP-JDS have not answered any of the questions that we have asked them of their scams. We had asked some specific questions to Kumaraswamy. He has not answered any of those questions. Instead, he is making some baseless allegations against my family. Kumaraswamy needs to answer how his brother accumulated thousands of crores of wealth,” he demanded.

Asked if Kumaraswamy was an escapist, he said, “I am not saying that. I only screened his gems in Mandya. Asked why D K Shivakumar has become single point agenda for Kumaraswamy, he said, “Let him pursue that.”

Waiting for Governor’s decision

Asked about Governor’s reluctance to give sanction to prosecute Union Minister Kumaraswamy in a mining case, he said, “Kumaraswamy had illegally approved mining in an area of 550 acres in Sandur when he was the CM in 2007. I have read reports regarding this in the media. I am told a chargesheet has been filed and Lokayukta has sought permission from the Governor to prosecute him. The Governor has not approved the request yet. I don’t have much information on this but this needs to be investigated fully. Let us wait and see what the Governor decides on this matter.”

Conspiracy to imprison us

Asked about former prime minister H D Deve Gowda’s calling on Union Home Minister Amit Shah, he said, “He has to meet the Home Minister to protect his family. Attempts are on to put me and Siddaramaiah behind the bars. We are ready for everything.”

Asked if he would release the list of assets of Kumarswamy’s brother, he said, “Of course, it needs to be released. It will be done at an appropriate time.”

Replying to a query on Kumaraswamy’s refusal to debate the corruption allegations in the Assembly, he said, “I have invited for a debate twice but he has not come. He can send the documents to his brother Revanna for a debate. If we debate this in front of the media, it will die down after a couple of days. It will be recorded for the posterity in the records if debated in the Assembly.”