Bengaluru, Sep 29 (IANS) Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Tuesday hit back at Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy over allegations about his assets, saying he acquired his properties legally and disclosed them to the Income Tax Department.
“Yes, I have assets worth Rs 1,400 crore at today’s valuation. I have acquired them within the legal framework. Kumaraswamy is frustrated and is speaking like this,” Shivakumar told the media in New Delhi.
He alleged that differences within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-JDS alliance had left Kumaraswamy frustrated. Shivakumar also questioned why Kumaraswamy had remained silent about the NICE project when he was Chief Minister.
“His father, H.D. Deve Gowda, had signed the agreement for the project, and Kumaraswamy himself had been Chief Minister. He also tried to award a tender to a person named Gandhi.
“The court had reprimanded him in connection with the matter. Several transactions were carried out in benami names. I do not want to take names like him,” Shivakumar said.
Questioning the criticism of his wealth, Shivakumar said that being the son of a farmer and an entrepreneur did not prevent him from acquiring property.
“Should I not have property? Should my children not buy property? I have acquired property within what is legally permissible. What is wrong with that? Is Kumaraswamy an Income Tax official? Let him give the information to the Income Tax Department,” he said.
He also questioned whether Kumaraswamy and his family members owned properties within the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Area Planning Authority (BMICAPA), the NICE Road project and the Bidadi Township project.
Asked about allegations that he had invested Rs 5 crore in Shobha Developers and increased the value to Rs 2,000 crore, Shivakumar denied wrongdoing.
“Former Chief Minister late S. Bangarappa had given me a site for Rs 1 lakh. Today, its value is Rs 20 crore. Is there anything wrong with this? Did I take a bribe? Did I get caught in any scam? Nothing like that happened,” he said.
Shivakumar maintained that he had every right to do business and that his children could also buy property if they had the financial capacity.
“I do not need to do anything secretly. I have already declared my assets,” he said.
Referring to Kumaraswamy’s challenge to debate on the steps of Vidhana Soudha, Shivakumar said the discussion should take place inside the Assembly. He suggested that Kumaraswamy could hold a public debate at Freedom Park instead.
On Kumaraswamy’s statement that he had opposed the NICE project, Shivakumar questioned why the project had not been stopped when Kumaraswamy was in power in 2007. He also challenged him to urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi to abolish tolls across the country.
“I am not afraid of such empty threats. I have seen enough of this drama and blackmail. They cannot tolerate our government’s popularity. There is no medicine for jealousy,” he said.
Responding to Kumaraswamy’s remark that the allegations were only “Part 1”, Shivakumar said he was not afraid of threats, sting operations or blackmail. He alleged that the phones of Balagangadharanatha Swamiji and Nirmalanandanatha Swamiji had been tapped and questioned whether he would be spared.
“I was not afraid when he was Chief Minister. Will I be afraid now? I am not someone who can be intimidated or blackmailed through threats,” he said.
Shivakumar further accused Kumaraswamy of being unable to tolerate his own family members, alleging that the attacks stemmed from jealousy over the Congress government’s popularity.
Clarifying his statement about the site purchased during Bangarappa’s tenure, Shivakumar said he had bought it for Rs 99,000 and that its value had since risen to Rs 20 crore.
“I have hundreds of such properties. I do not have money earned by keeping a lorry and sweeping garbage. I have my own profession and business. I have declared my assets every year. The Election Commission and the Enforcement Directorate have already examined them. Let them appoint any bigger agency and investigate. Who will say no?” he said.
–IANS
mka/dan