Ex-CM HD Kumaraswamy booked for lighting up house using 'stolen electricity' during Deepavali
Bengaluru, Nov 14: The Bangalore Electricity Supply Company on Tuesday registered a case against former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy after the Congress in Karnataka accused him of drawing power illegally to illuminate his JP Nagar residence here for Deepavali.
The case was registered by the Vigilance Wing of BESCOM at its Vigilance Police Station under section 135 of the Indian Electricity Act (Theft of electricity).
Earlier, the ruling Congress posted a video along with a statement on social media platform X, criticising the JD(S) leader and son of former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda.
In his response, Kumaraswamy said it was not his fault but of a private decorator who gave the connection directly from a nearby electricity pole. When he got to know, he immediately got it removed and took the electricity connection from the meter board of the house, he said.
"The lone honest person in the world H D Kumaraswamy's JP Nagar residence was illuminated with decorative lights with illegal power connection directly from the electric pole. It is a tragedy that such a poverty has struck a former CM to steal electricity!" the Congress said, taking a dig at him.
Further taking a swipe at Kumaraswamy, the party said the Congress government's 'Gruha Jyoti' scheme offers 200 units of free electricity a month for residential connections and not 2,000 units.
"I am sorry for this indiscretion. Let BESCOM (Bangalore Electricity Supply Company) officials come and inspect and issue a notice. I will pay the fine," Kumaraswamy responded on X.
He hit out at the Congress for making a big deal out of a "petty issue".
Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said BESCOM will initiate action.
The Congress taunted earlier: "If you were so poverty stricken, then you should have applied for the Gruha Jyoti scheme. Oh, you didn't know that only one electricity meter is allowed under the Gruha Jyoti scheme whereas there are many meters in your name!"
"Despite power shortage in the state, measures were taken by us to provide seven hours electricity to the farmers; you are facing such a "drought" that you resort to such a cheap theft? Didn't you hold a press conference and say "Karnataka is in the dark" and now you have lit up your house with stolen electricity?" it added.
The ruling party sought to know why he was saying that Karnataka was in the dark when his house was shining with decorative lights!
"To ask a question your own style Do you need to light up your home when the state is facing drought? Do you want to have fun stealing electricity meant for the farmers? Do you want the Diwali' (referring to bankruptcy in Kannada) of people for Deepavali festival' in your house?" the Congress asked.
ಜಗತ್ತಿನ ಏಕೈಕ ಮಹಾಪ್ರಾಮಾಣಿಕ ಹೆಚ್.ಡಿ ಕುಮಾರಸ್ವಾಮಿಯವರ ಜೆ ಪಿ ನಗರದ ನಿವಾಸದ ದೀಪಾವಳಿಯ ದೀಪಾಲಂಕಾರಕ್ಕೆ ನೇರವಾಗಿ ವಿದ್ಯುತ್ ಕಂಬದಿಂದ ಅಕ್ರಮ ವಿದ್ಯುತ್ ಸಂಪರ್ಕ ಪಡೆದಿದ್ದಾರೆ.
— Karnataka Congress (@INCKarnataka) November 14, 2023
ಒಬ್ಬ ಮಾಜಿ ಸಿಎಂ ಆಗಿ ವಿದ್ಯುತ್ ಕಳ್ಳತನ ಮಾಡುವ ದಾರಿದ್ರ್ಯ ಬಂದಿದ್ದು ದುರಂತ!@hd_kumaraswamy ಅವರೇ ನಮ್ಮ ಸರ್ಕಾರ ಗೃಹಜ್ಯೋತಿಯಲ್ಲಿ 200 ಯೂನಿಟ್… pic.twitter.com/7GKHeRyQuS
ದೀಪಾವಳಿ ಹಬ್ಬಕ್ಕೆ ನನ್ನ ಮನೆಗೆ ವಿದ್ಯುತ್ ದೀಪಗಳ ಅಲಂಕಾರ ಮಾಡಲು ಖಾಸಗಿ ಡೆಕೋರೇಟರ್ ಒಬ್ಬರಿಗೆ ಹೇಳಲಾಗಿತ್ತು. ಅವರು ಮನೆಗೆ ವಿದ್ಯುತ್ ದೀಪಗಳ ಅಲಂಕಾರ ಮಾಡಿದ ಮೇಲೆ ಪಕ್ಕದಲ್ಲಿಯೇ ಇದ್ದ ಕಂಬದಿಂದ ವಿದ್ಯುತ್ ಸಂಪರ್ಕ ಪಡೆದು ಪರೀಕ್ಷೆ ಮಾಡಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಆಗ ನಾನು ಬಿಡದಿಯ ತೋಟದಲ್ಲಿದ್ದೆ. ನಿನ್ನೆ ರಾತ್ರಿ ಮನೆಗೆ ವಾಪಸ್ ಬಂದಾಗ ಈ ವಿಷಯ ನನ್ನ…
— ಹೆಚ್.ಡಿ.ಕುಮಾರಸ್ವಾಮಿ | H.D.Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) November 14, 2023
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Cong leader Prithviraj Chavan defiant after facing verbal missiles on Op Sindoor remarks
Mumbai (PTI): Despite facing criticism, senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan on Wednesday stood by his controversial comments that India faced a "total defeat" in aerial fight with Pakistan on the first day of Operation Sindoor on May 7.
The former Union minister refused to apologise for his comments on the Indian military operation against terror hubs in Pakistan and PoK in aftermath of massacre of tourists at Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir in April.
Talking to reporters in Pune on Tuesday, Chavan claimed India faced a "total defeat in the aerial fight (with Pakistan) on May 7 which lasted for half-an-hour".
"One may believe this or not. After that the Indian Air Force got grounded and not a single aircraft took flight that day.... be it Gwalior, Bhatinda or Sirsa, there was a possibility of aircraft being shot down, so our complete Air Force was grounded," the former Maharashtra chief minister had said.
Hitting out at Chavan, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde accused the Congress of speaking the language of Pakistan. He said questioning the military action was akin to demoralising the morale of armed forces.
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"The criticism does not stem from the love of the nation, but love for Pakistan," said the chief leader of the Shiv Sena, a key constituent of the BJP-led NDA.
Chavan, however, remained defiant.
"There is no question of apologising. The Constitution has given me the right to ask questions," the Congress veteran asserted.
Chavan also questioned the need of having a 12-lakh strong Army when future wars will be about aerial combats and missiles. "During Operation Sindoor we saw that there was no movement of the Army even for a kilometre," he had said.
BJP Lok Sabha MP and spokesperson Sambit Patra said Chavan's remarks are loaded with sedition.
"He (Chavan) has refused to apologise. The Indian armed forces struck 100 kms inside the Pakistan territory and destroyed 11 air strips (of the Pakistani Air Force). He made remarks that the Indian Army did not even move an inch (during the military operation). This is nothing but a statement full of sedition, a statement of a traitor," Patra said, lashing out at the Congress leader.
The BJP spokesperson maintained the Congress appears to be standing with Chavan and alleged the Opposition party is playing into foreign hands.
Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra should apologise for it, he added.
Union minister Giriraj Singh of the BJP insisted it was not right to devalue the valour of Indian armed forces.
Samajwadi Party MP Virendra Singh suggested that wherever armed forces are concerned, every Indian should be mindful of statements they make and ensure their comments do not demoralise the military.
Operation Sindoor was a result of "mistakes of politicians", he claimed.
TDP MP Krishna Devraylu said after the poll defeat in Bihar, the Congress is rattled and their leaders have been talking absurdly.
"Chavan's remarks are a prime example of this. This kind of disrespect to our armed forces is not necessary. If the Congress is angry with the NDA, it should show it in a different way and not drag armed forces into it," Devraylu opined.
AAP MP Ashok Mittal said such statements should not be made by any senior politician, especially by someone who has been a former chief minister.
The Indian armed forces registered a strong victory and destroyed terror launchpads in Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, Mittal added.
