‘Prove My Link With Amit Shah, Will Quit Politics’: DK Shivakumar Dares Kumaraswamy

Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar (Photo: PTI)

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Saturday launched a sharp attack on Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy, declaring he would “quit politics” if it were proven that he had been in touch with Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The remark came during a press conference on issues related to the Greater Bengaluru Authority and the Bengaluru Development Authority.

Reacting to what he believed was Kumaraswamy’s claim that the Congress government in Karnataka could collapse soon and that Shivakumar was allegedly in contact with Shah, the Deputy CM called the JD(S) leader a “traitor” and warned that he might file a defamation case.

Twist After Outburst

However, the confrontation took an unexpected turn when Shivakumar’s team later discovered that Kumaraswamy had made no such remarks.

At a JD(S) silver jubilee event earlier in the day, Kumaraswamy had only hinted at “explosive developments” ahead and urged party workers to stay connected with the public, without mentioning the Congress government or Amit Shah.

Realising that the comments attributed to the JD(S) leader were inaccurate, Shivakumar turned his ire towards the journalists who had posed the question.

Visibly angry, he accused a section of reporters of attempting to provoke him by sharing false information and “pitting him against” Kumaraswamy.

“You will have to repent for this,” he said, chastising the media for misquoting the Union minister and misleading him during the press interaction.

Deputy CM’s Office Issues Statement

Following the flare-up, the Deputy CM’s office released a statement condemning the conduct of the reporters who had allegedly circulated incorrect information.

The statement urged media outlets not to broadcast the contentious portion of the press conference.

“The Deputy Chief Minister expressed deep dissatisfaction over the media giving such wrong information and receiving such a response when asking questions. One should not create false information and ask false questions. This will harm the honour, dignity and trust of the media,” the statement said.