BJP-JD(S) protest march is for 'redemption from their sins': Deputy CM DK Shivakumar
Channapatna (Karnataka), Aug 4: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Sunday termed the opposition BJP and JD(S)' ongoing 'padayatra' against alleged Mysuru Urban Development Authority site allotment scam, seeking to corner the Congress government and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, as a march for "redemption from their sins".
He also questioned JD(S) leader and Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy about the source of his family’s wealth and said he could not have made thousands of crores through farming.
"BJP-JD(S) padayatre is a "Paapa Vimochana Padayatre" (a foot march for redemption from their sins)... it is the march of the corrupt, by the corrupt and for the corrupt," Shivakumar said.
Speaking at the 'Janandolana' event, a public meeting by the Congress to counter BJP-JD(S)' padayatra, he accused BJP leaders and their family, Kumaraswamy and his JDS leaders and their families of indulging in corruption.
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The week long 'Mysuru Chalo padayatre' by BJP and JD(S) from Bengaluru that began on Saturday is against the alleged fraudulent allotment of sites to land losers by MUDA, including Siddaramaiah's wife Parvathi.
Noting that he runs a business along with farming, Shivakumar said while 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?"
He also sought to know about Kumaraswamy's elder brother H D Balakrishna Gowda, a retired KAS officer, and his family's assets.
"Kumaranna (Kumaraswamy), you can discuss my assets. Start from the first, your brother -- Balakrishna Gowda, his wife, her father and family -- in Mysuru, Srirangapatna and Bengaluru. Also their benamis. How much land is in their name, you have to answer it. A government employee, how many thousand crores is he worth?" he asked.
Averring that he hasn't yet spoken about the alleged denotification and mining scams involving Kumaraswamy, the Deputy CM said, "I am yet to release your family’s assets, but I will soon...."
JD(S) won 136 seats under his presidency, but JD(S) secured only 19 seats inder Kumaraswamy, Shivakumar said.
"Now, you (Kumaraswamy) have joined your hands with the BJP to save your party. 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 JD(S) for the sake of power."
Channapatna Assembly segment will be facing the by-polls soon. The date is yet to be announced.
The bypoll in Channapatna is necessitated, following Kumaraswamy's election to the Lok Sabha from Mandya.
Speculations are rife within the Congress circles that either Shivakumar or his brother D K Suresh, a former MP, who unsuccessfully contested from Bangalore Rural Lok Sabha segment, are likely to be Congress candidate from Channapatna.
"Whoever may be the candidate in Channapatna, but your vote goes to Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar. The Congress party symbol is the real candidate. I will work for this constituency like a legislator, give me an opportunity by supporting Congress," he appealed.
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Supreme Court rejects plea for reverting to ballots in elections
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition seeking to revert to ballot paper voting in elections in the country.
"What happens is, when you win the election, EVMs (electronic voting machine) are not tampered. When you lose the election, EVMs are tampered (with)," remarked a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and P B Varale.
Apart from ballot paper voting, the plea sought several directions including a directive to the Election Commission to disqualify candidates for a minimum of five years if found guilty of distributing money, liquor or other material inducement to the voters during polls.
When petitioner-in-person K A Paul said he filed the PIL, the bench said, "You have interesting PILs. How do you get these brilliant ideas?".
The petitioner said he is the president of an organisation which has rescued over three lakh orphans and 40 lakh widows.
"Why are you getting into this political arena? Your area of work is very different," the bench retorted.
After Paul revealed he had been to over 150 countries, the bench asked him whether each of the nations had ballot paper voting or used electronic voting.
The petitioner said foreign countries had adopted ballot paper voting and India should follow suit.
"Why you don't want to be different from the rest of the world?" asked the bench.
There was corruption and this year (2024) in June, the Election Commission announced they had seized Rs 9,000 crore, Paul responded.
"But how does that make your relief which you are claiming here relevant?" asked the bench, adding "if you shift back to physical ballot, will there be no corruption?".
Paul claimed CEO and co-founder of Tesla, Elon Musk, stated that EVMs could be tampered with and added TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, the current chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, and former state chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy had claimed EVMs could be tampered with.
"When Chandrababu Naidu lost, he said EVMs can be tampered with. Now this time, Jagan Mohan Reddy lost, he said EVMs can be tampered with," noted the bench.
When the petitioner said everybody knew money was distributed in elections, the bench remarked, "We never received any money for any elections."
The petitioner said another prayer in his plea was the formulation of a comprehensive framework to regulate the use of money and liquor during election campaigns and ensuring such practices were prohibited and punishable under the law.
The plea further sought a direction to mandate an extensive voter education campaign to raise awareness and importance of informed decision making.
"Today, 32 per cent educated people are not casting their votes. What a tragedy. If democracy will be dying like this and we will not be able to do anything then what will happen in the years to come in future," the petitioner said.
