![Allegations will only help Yathindra grow as a leader: DK ShivakumarANI | Updated: Nov 16, 2023 18:50 IST Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], November 16 (ANI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, on Thursday, rejected the 'cash for posting' allegations of JD(S) and BJP against CM Siddaramaiah's son Yathindra Siddaramaiah as baseless and an unnecessary controversy created by the opposition. Reacting to the allegations made by the opposition, Shivakumar said, "JDS and BJP are targeting Yathindra with frivolous allegations as they are devoid of any real issues. By creating unnecessary controversies, they are only giving free publicity to help Yathindra grow as a leader," Shivakumar said while speaking to reporters at the CM's home office in Bengaluru earlier today. Earlier, a viral video was posted by several opposition leaders claiming that Yathindra, a former MLA of Varuna, was involved in an alleged 'cash for posting' scam. The alleged video shows Yathindra in a "public relations" meeting held in Keelanapura village of Mysore taluk. Yathindra is heard making a phone call saying "Appa tell me". "I watched the video in the morning. Yathindra has not taken the names of any officer or post or even made any remark that can be even remotely construed as a transfer scam. What is wrong if he wants a few good officers transferred to his father's constituency? It is natural for politicians to seek transfer of good officers to their constituencies," added Shivakumar. Responding to a query on the appropriateness of Yathindra seeking transfer in his father's constituency, Shivakumar said, "Many times I am unable to spend enough time in my constituency and my brother attends to many requests of people. Many times, we delegate responsibilities to local leaders in the constituency as well. There is nothing wrong in it." Yathindra is also the Chairman of the Ashraya Committee and he was only trying to address the issues of the constituency in a Jana Samparka meeting. As the Chairman of the Ashraya Committee, he is well within his powers to address issues related to schools in the constituency, he added. Responding to a query on corruption allegations in transfers, he said that transfer season was over long back and there are no transfers happening currently. These allegations are a clear sign of desperation. On being asked if Congress is stooping too low to dub former CM HD Kumaraswamy as an 'electricity thief', Shivakumar said, "I have asked all my party workers not to comment on this issue. We did not say Kumarswamy has stolen power. He would have given the contract of illuminating his house to vendor and he would have done that." "If my car driver causes an accident, it is natural for people to say DK Shivakumar's car was involved in an accident. Leaders sometimes have to face challenges due to issues created by others. Kumaraswamy has displayed magnanimity by admitting the mistake. Such things happen in politics," he added. The Congress had earlier alleged that HD Kumaraswamy had illegally connected the Diwali lights of his JP Nagar residence from an electric pole. The Congress had posted about this along with a video and photo. In his defence, Kumaraswamy claimed that a private decorator was asked to decorate his house with electric lights for Diwali and they had connected it from a nearby pole and tested it. He was away from his residence when the incident took place, he said. Responding to a question on whether a JDS MLA met him on Wednesday night, the Karnataka deputy CM said that no MLA has neither met him nor spoken to him. "MLAs from all parties come to me for constituency works. But I have not spoken to any JDS MLA politically," said Shivakumar.](https://liveindia.tv/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/DK-SHIVAKUMAR-768x432-1.jpg)
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India] : Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Tuesday refuted the allegations made by the BJP that the money recovered in the raids conducted by the Income Tax department belongs to the Congress government.
DK Shivakumar said that the Income Tax department has unearthed the corruption which entirely belongs to the BJP.
DK Shivakumar said, “Entire corruption is by BJP only. BJP is the foundation of corruption, that’s why the people of Karnataka threw them away. Money that has been found, is linked to BJP leaders and it is nowhere connected to the Congress government.”
Earlier the Income Tax Department said that it conducted search and seizure action related to some government contractors, real estate developers and their associates last week and about 55 premises were covered in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and New Delhi.
According to a CBDT press release, incriminating evidence in the form of loose sheets, hard copies of documents and digital data have been found and seized. It said the search has resulted in a seizure of unaccounted cash of approximately Rs 94 crore and gold and diamond jewellery of over Rs 8 crore, aggregating to more than Rs 102 crore.
A cache of about 30 luxury wristwatches of foreign make was unearthed from the premises of a private salaried employee, not engaged in the business of wristwatches, the release said.
The searches were held on October 12.
Earlier BJP leader CT Ravi on Sunday alleged that the recovered money was part of Congress’ illegal fund collection, meant for upcoming polls.
“Rs 42 crore cash was recovered from Ambikapathy’s house. Another Rs 40 crore was recovered from the residence of another builder Santhosh Krishnappa. We have information regarding the 5-state elections. All this money belongs to Congress,” BJP leader CT Ravi said.
“We had earlier alleged that the state (Karnataka) would be an ATM for the Congress Government. That has turned out to be true. The truth will come out after enquiry. We are demanding a CBI inquiry,” he said.
Income Tax (I-T) department officials last week seized a cash stash worth Rs 42 crore from the premises belonging to a contractor, R Ambikapathy in Bengaluru.
The raids sparked off a heated debate with BJP alleging that the money was part of Congress’s illegal fund, meant for campaigning in assembly polls in Telangana and four other states to be held in November.
