ADR report reveals 36 ministers in India hold billionaire assets, Karnataka tops the list
New Delhi: A new analysis by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) says that 36 ministers across India have declared assets worth over ₹100 crore, making them billionaires. The report was released on Wednesday and it examined the financial disclosures of 643 ministers from state governments, Union Territories and the Union Council of Ministers.
According to a report published by Deccan Herald, collectively, these ministers declared assets worth ₹23,929 crore. Billionaire ministers account for nearly 6% of the total.
Party-wise, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leads the list with 14 billionaire ministers, making up 4% of its ministerial strength. The Congress follows with 11 out of 61 ministers (18%) falling into the billionaire category. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) ranks third, with six of its 23 ministers (26%) reporting assets above the ₹100 crore mark. Ministers from the Aam Aadmi Party, Janasena Party, JD(S), NCP and Shiv Sena also feature in the list.
The richest minister in the country is Dr Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani of the TDP from Guntur in Andhra Pradesh in the Lok Sabha, with his assets exceeding ₹5,705 crore. Karnataka’s Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar is second on the list, with assets worth over ₹1,413 crore. With assets valued at over ₹931 crore, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu ranks third, who is also knows as the "richest Chief Minister."
Others named in the top ten include Narayana Ponguru and Nara Lokesh (Andhra Pradesh), Gaddam Vivekanand and Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy (Telangana), Suresha B S (Karnataka), Mangal Prabhat Lodha (Maharashtra) and Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.
Karnataka has the highest number of billionaire ministers at eight. Andhra Pradesh stands second (six). While Maharashtra has four, Arunachal Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana and Telangana all have two. The states with one billionaire minister are Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Punjab.
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National Herald case: Shivakumar to seek time next week to appear before Delhi police
New Delhi/Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Monday said he will ask for time from Delhi police to appear before them next week, to provide required information as part of the probe into the National Herald case.
He said he will seek time after the ongoing winter session of Karnataka legislature ends on December 19. He will also ask the Delhi police to provide him the FIR copy.
Shivakumar, who is in the national capital, had earlier said that he will appear before the Delhi police on Monday. But, he postponed the plan in order to rush back to Karnataka to participate in the last rites of veteran Congress leader Shamanuru Shivashankarappa, scheduled later in the day in Davangere.
"I had to go (to appear before the Delhi police), but I have to go back urgently. I'm asking them for time, stating that I will come next week," Shivakumar told reporters in New Delhi.
"They (Delhi police) have not attached the FIR copy while issuing notice to me. I need FIR copy, because we had already given all the required replies to the ED. I don't know what the FIR says, I only read in papers. They have given notice, I will ask for a FIR copy. I will come next week after the Assembly session."
The Delhi Police had issued a notice to Shivakumar, who is also the Karnataka Congress chief, seeking financial and transactional details as part of its probe into the National Herald case.
The notice issued by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) states that Shivakumar is "supposed to be having vital information" pertaining to the National Herald case registered on October 3 this year, against top Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.
In the notice dated November 29, the EOW had asked Shivakumar to appear before it or provide the requested information by December 19 latest.
Investigators have sought details about his personal background, his association with the Congress party, and a complete break up of funds allegedly transferred by him or associated entities to Young Indian.
To a question on meeting AICC General Secretaries K C Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala, amid the ongoing power tussle between him and CM Siddaramaiah over the Chief Minister post, Shivakumar said when he comes to Delhi, he usually meets every one.
"Whether it is Surjewala or Kharge (AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge) or Venugopal, I will meet everyone. During lunch yesterday I met Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. I have met everyone. What's wrong?" he asked.
Shivakumar was in Delhi to take part in Congress' "Vote Chori" rally on Sunday, and had also participated in the lunch organised by the party for its leaders.
Responding to a question, whether any meeting is planned with leaders today, the Deputy CM said, he and Kharge will be travelling together to Karnataka, to pay last respects to Shamanuru Shivashankarappa.
Asked if he will seek time for a separate meeting with Congress leadership including Rahul Gandhi, during the next visit to Delhi, Sivakumar said, "such things will be there between us in the party.... you don't worry."
