Kumaraswamy sheds tears during polls, vanishes when people cry: Shivakumar

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Saturday took a dig at Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy for allegedly shedding crocodile tears during elections and disappearing when people are in pain.

Speaking to reporters at Mangaluru airport, he questioned, "Tears well up in Kumaraswamy's eyes only during elections. Where was he when the people of Kanakapura were in pain and tears?"

Asked about Kumaraswamy's statement that he cries because he is an emotional being but Congress leaders don't because they are not humane, he said, "The people of Channapatna and Ramanagara elected him, yet he did not come here to hoist the state and national flags. Has he done anything for Channapatna? It was Yogeshwar who filled up tanks in the taluk. He was doing adjustment politics with BJP when he was the MLA, but did not get any developmental works for the constituency."

"Kumaraswamy and his wife represented Channapatna. The present JDS candidate doesn't have anything to do with the constituency and he has already lost in Mandya and Ramanagara. Yogeshwar has come back to Congress because only our party has done developmental works in Channapatna," he said.

"The people of Channapatna are educated and are aware. Our government has gone to their doorstep to solve their problems. Over 22,000 people have given petitions. Developmental works worth hundreds of crores have started. Our government is giving five guarantees to all sections of the people and it has become a model for the whole country. Many JDS workers are joining Congress as they have no hope in its leadership," he noted.

Asked about Prime Minister's criticism of guarantee schemes, he said, "There is no substance in his criticism but he is raising it now because of elections. Our guarantees are feeding people and building lives. When some economically independent women said they would like to pay for the tickets, I had said I would discuss that with the Transport minister. There is no question of withdrawing any of the guarantee schemes."

Asked about serial tweets on guarantee schemes by BJP leaders, he said, "BJP itself is copying our guarantee schemes in many states. They have announced similar guarantee schemes in Haryana and Madhya Pradesh and now they are planning to announce in Maharashtra. They are ashamed of copying us and hence are casting aspersions."

Asked about the criticism that the Congress government is unable to manage finances of the state due to guarantee schemes, he said, "Our state's finances are better than that of the Union government."

Asked about Yatnal's demand to nationalise Waqf properties, he said, "I won't respond to comments of mentally unstable people. It was during BJP government that Waqf Board issued notices to farmers. We will not allow any injustice to farmers. We will rectify the mistakes of our officials.