Bengaluru: After the return of Congress leader D K Shivakumar to Bengaluru, after remaining in ED custody and in the Tihar jail for 50 days in connection with an alleged money laundering case, a new controversy seems to have been created.
During his welcome to the city on Saturday evening, DKShi is said to have waved the JD(S) flag, an act that has been criticised by many, including Congress leader Siddaramaiah.
“What kind of message are we giving? When D K Shivakumar came to Bengaluru, JD(S) flags were shown along with Congress flags. What kind of message are we sending when a message was given to stay away from the JD(S),” Siddaramaiah said on Monday, October 28, while the raising the issue with his supporters.
A video of former chief minister Siddaramaiah criticising Shivakumar for the act, during a private conversation, has gone viral. What has stoked yet another controversy is Siddaramaiah’s comment in the video. Siddaramaiah is heard saying that Lingayats, a prominent community in Karnataka seen backing the BJP, are now distancing themselves from Lingayat strongman and Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, and the Vokkaligas, another dominant community, are disenchanted with the JD(S) and former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy.
However, clarifying the same, DKShi has said that there is no need to add any colour to the incident as it was unintentional.
“When I returned home, cheering supporters had come with many flags, including the Karnataka flag,” the Congress leader and former minister said.
As far as Siddaramaiah’s reaction is concerned, DKShi said that the former is his senior and his statement may have been misunderstood. Calling himself a “born Congressman”, DKShi said that recording Siddaramaiah, who was in a private conversation, was an act of mischief in the first place.
“Siddaramaiah has lots of love towards me,” DKShi said, downplaying the episode.
Earlier on Saturday, Shivakumar arrived in Bengaluru where he received a warm welcome from his supporters. He was released from jail after the Delhi High Court granted him conditional bail. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had arrested Shivakumar on September 3.
