Down but not out, Shivakumar vows to fight back
BENGALURU: After three days of being holed up in the confines of his residence in Sadashivanagar, it was business as usual for Energy Minister D K Shivakumar on Saturday morning after the raiding I-T party headed out.
Shaking hands with the CRPF and police personnel, his supporters and media, Shivakumar, who showed no signs of visible anger on day one of the raid, said he will not comment on the raids until the ‘panchanama’ is drafted.
The search and seizure operations by the Income Tax Department officials on the residence of Energy Minister D K Shiva Kumar ended on Saturday morning around 10 am, almost 72 hours after it started on Wednesday.
“Nobody can hide the truth. I will answer everyone with documents. I have always respected the Constitution and been under the confines as I respect the law. Let the ‘panchanama’ be prepared and then I will answer all questions,” he said.
Shivakumar, who said he had been tracking all the developments related to the raids from the media, also said that he had been following the various opinions being expressed on the raids on his house as well as his relatives and acquaintances. “You have the right to do that in a democracy and I respect that. I cannot answer any of your questions right now, but will speak with documentary evidence,” he claimed.
Shivakumar, who looked relaxed and made sure he thanked everyone outside his house for keeping vigil over these last four days, especially the CRPF, local police and his supporters, could not resist from firing a typical salvo. “I did not come to Bengaluru ‘with a flower above my ear’ (naivete). I came here for politics and I will answer everyone at the right time,” he said.
He added that he will visit a temple in Vijayanagar which he frequents as it has been a source of strength for him.
Following the visit to the temple, he joined the group of Gujarat MLAs who met Governor Vajubhai Vala on Saturday morning and left with them later for Eagleton Resorts, where they have been staying for several days now.
Issues apology
Later in the day, Shivakumar issued a press release apologising for this mother Gowramma’s statement, where she blamed Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for allegedly orchestrating the I-T raid on her son.
“I openly apologise for my mother’s statements about the Chief Minister, which was said out of pure affection.
My aged mother is not literate and she does not know that the I-T Department does not come under the Chief Minister. She was also under pressure and some media outlets have exploited her innocence and got her to make such provocative remarks,” he said.
Shivakumar further said that the Chief Minister had always supported him and had protected his family in times of difficulty and also thanked his colleagues and party workers.