BENGALURU: Congress leader DK Shivakumar might seem to be helpless in prison, but outside, support for him is growing. On Friday, a day after Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi expressing the party’s support to him, it was the turn of the JDS leadership to show their support.
Former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy in fact went beyond mere calls. He undertook a 90-minute drive, across dusty roads, to meet Shivakumar’s mother Gowramma, at their country home in Kodihalli village in Sathnur, Kanakpura. The meeting came as a follow-up to another where Anita Kumaraswamy, Ramanagara MLA and Kumaraswamy’s wife, visited Shivakumar’s residence in the city and spent time talking to his wife Usha.
The twin visits assume significance considering that during the protests against Shivakumar’s arrest, a large part of the protestors were JDS members or supporters, especially in Ramanagara, Shivamogga, Mysuru, Raichur and other places. Kumaraswamy has a lot to thank Shivakumar for, according to party insiders, who agree with the ‘troubleshooter’ tag that the Congress leader carries.
During Kumaraswamy’s 14-month tenure, Shivakumar had ‘rescued’ his government on multiple occasions. It was perhaps a given then that on Friday, Kumaraswamy found himself touching Gowramma’s feet, in respect, and assuring her of all support while telling her that this (Shivakumar’s arrest) too shall pass. The two belong to Gangadikara Vokkaliga community and share the same traditions.
Kumaraswamy’s visit raised an emotional chord when he pointed out that the Enforcement Directorate did not allow Shivakumar to offer ‘pitrupaksha’, a ritual to the souls of one’s dead ancestors. Speaking to the media later, he said, “The ‘fire’ of the mother’s pain will destroy the BJP that put her son in prison. This attack against Shivakumar did not start yesterday, but two years ago when he, as a loyal soldier of the party, shepherded Congress legislators from Gujarat.”
Shivakumar’s mother Gowramma burst into tears and was speaking emotionally right through the visit, wiping her tears and recalling her pain and agony at the thought of her son languishing in prison. She also spoke about his health and asked if he was kept in hospital for the entire night soon after his arrest.
“Instead of dealing with the problems and the misery of flood victims, they are dealing with political vendetta,” Kumaraswamy said, citing the example of IAS officer S Senthil.