Declare your family assets: Shivakumar tells Kumaraswamy

Bengaluru, Aug 3 : Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Saturday asked the Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy to declare his family assets and how was he able to accumulate so much wealth.

“Declare your family assets. Start with your brother Balakrishna Gowda’s assets and explain everything. How much wealth he had initially, how much it is now, and how much it has increased,” said Shivakumar while addressing a public rally in Ramanagara which was organised against the BJP-JD(S) foot march.

He said that Kumaraswamy should also disclose his family’s asset accumulation in Bengaluru. “How many assets are in the Kanakapura Road, Kumbalagodu, Doddagubbi, Chikkagubbi, Nelamangala, Yelahanka, and other places? Who owns these assets? He should give all the details,” he said.

He also criticised Kumaraswamy over Tihar Jail remarks, alleging that Kumaraswamy had said that the military would come to arrest him (Shivakumar) and send him to Tihar Jail.

“Even after being imprisoned in the Tihar jail, I managed to win 136 MLA seats but he could only win only 19 seats. I have seen Tihar Jail and also managed to come out of the cases you and your family have filed against me,” Shivakumar said.

He said that Kumaraswamy had falsely accused him (Shivakumar) of releasing the pen drive (in the sex video scandal involving Prajwal Revanna). “People know that I don’t indulge in such petty politics,” he said.

He also attacked the BJP state chief Vijayendra, saying that he (Vijayendra) called him the “father of corruption”. “What wrong did former Chief Minister Yediyurappa commit? Why did he resign? Why did he resign in tears at the Vidhana Soudha? You need to answer this,” Shivakumar said.

He also alleged that the BJP aims to bring down the Karnataka government by November or December. “Is our government going to sink? You cannot displace a single MLA from us. Your attempts to bring down Siddaramaiah’s government led by D.K. Shivakumar will be futile. This is your delusion and a misleading dream,” he said.

He said that whether the BJP misuses any institution or files cases against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, P. Chidambaram, or D.K. Shivakumar, they must remember that the Congress’ power is the strength of the nation and the Congress history is the history of the nation.

“Congress gave this country the independence, national flag, and the Constitution. The strength of Congress will rise again in this country,” Shivakumar said.

He said that Congress will come back to power with a majority in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.

“No matter how much anyone criticises me, answer my questions first,” he asked Kumaraswamy.