Did you make thousands of crores by growing potatoes, onions, DCM asks Kumaraswamy

Channapatna: Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Sunday questioned Union Minister Kumaraswamy about the source of his family’s wealth and said he could not have made thousands of crores through farming.

Speaking at the Janandolana event at Channapatna to counter BJP’s padayatra, he said, “I run a business along with farming. Kumaraswamy has clearly said he is the son of the soil and does only farming. Did he make thousands of crores of wealth just by growing potatoes and onions?”

“Kumaraswamy needs to tell the people of the State how much benami land his brother Balakrishna Gowda’s family and relatives own in Mysuru and Srirangapatna. How can a government employee make thousands of crores. You need to tell people how thousands of crores of wealth was created,” he questioned.

“What did you achieve by filing a case against my wife, my sister and my brother? You threatened that the military will whisk me away, but then why did you visit me when I was in the jail. Are you even aware that the Supreme Court has quashed the case against my family?” he said.

“I haven’t unravelled your denotification scam, your mining scam. I am yet to release your family’s assets but I will soon. More than 22,000 people have given their pleas when I conducted a grievance redressal programme. It shows there was no governance during your tenure as an MLA,” he said.

“Our party has got 136 seats under my presidency, but you secured 19 seats for your party. Now, you have joined your hands with the BJP to save your existence. You are an expert in hit and run and you are a blackmailer. You said you will not attend the padayatra but why are you attending now. You are trying to ruin JDS for the sake of power,” he added. “Kumaraswamy is changing his versions every day on pen drive case. He said I had released the pen drive, he is saying former BJP MLA Preetham Gowda has done it. D K Shivakumar always fights his fights head on but doesn’t strike from behind. Why is the BJP not discussing Kumaraswamy’s allegation on a BJP functionary,” he questioned.

“Kumaraswamy had said that he would get approval for Mekedatu project from Prime Minister Modi if the NDA government came to power. Now, he is rejecting he said that. He is a chameleon and people must see through his colours. Kumaraswamy will continue his touring talkies politics. He and his family contested elections from Madhugiri, Mandya, Ramanagara, Chikkaballapura and Channapatna. You are welcome to Kanakapura too, people will teach you a lesson,” he lashed out.

“BJP and JDS are taking out this padayatra to wash their sins off. This is a padayatra by the corrupt for the corrupt. BJP leader Yatnal has asked many questions about Yediyurappa and Vijayendra. Vijayendra must answer these questions. There were 25 scams during BJP’s tenure including Keonics, Urs Truck Terminal scam and PSI scam. Why did the BJP CM and ministers not resign then? The BJP must answer corruption allegations by their own party leaders such as Yatnal, Goolihatti Shekar, H Vishwanath. Kumaraswmay and Yediyurappa have spoken ill of their own leader PM Modi. When we made you the CM, Yediyurappa told me to be careful of the father-son duo. You sent them to jail through governor but you are embracing them now,” he said.

“Whoever may be the candidate in Channapatna, but your vote goes to Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar. Congress party symbol is the real candidate. I will work for this constituency like a legislator, give me an opportunity. Housing Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan has agreed to sanction 5000 homes to the people of Channapatna. Besides, we are also identifying land for sites to be allotted. D K Suresh may have lost but, you have given 80,000 votes from this Assembly segment. There is no question of leaving you,” he said.

Asked about Kumaraswamy’s statement that Shivakumar must swear on Ajjayya if he has made his money in a legal way, he said, “These issues can’t be discussed on the street. I challenge him to discuss these issues in the Assembly through his brother or his MLAs. I am ready for a television debate also on this issue.”