"Jail is not new for me, and some people have not been able to digest the fact that I have become Chief Minister," Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said on Wednesday as he launched a sharp attack on Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and his father, former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda amid the controversy surrounding the proposed Bidadi Township Project.
It may be noted that Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar hails from the Vokkaliga community. Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda also belong to the same community, which plays a significant role in the electoral politics of South Karnataka.
There is currently intense competition between Shivakumar and the Deve Gowda family to win the confidence and support of the Vokkaliga community. Addressing a press conference at Vidhana Soudha, CM Shivakumar accused the JD(S) leadership of attempting to stall his political rise and repeatedly predicting that he would be imprisoned.
"Some people have not been able to digest the fact that I have become Chief Minister. They cannot tolerate the development taking place in the State or the affection people have shown me," CM Shivakumar said. Taking a direct swipe at Union Minister Kumaraswamy, he said, "Kumaraswamy has repeatedly said that I will go to jail one day.
I wish him good luck. Jail is not new to me. He visited me there respectfully. Continue your struggle and your efforts to send me to jail." The Chief Minister said he was aware of what he described as conspiracies against him and maintained that he had emerged stronger despite legal challenges.
"After coming out of jail, I became the Chief Minister. The Supreme Court dismissed those cases. I know your agenda is not to let any leader emerge," he said. Referring to former Prime Minister Deve Gowda, Shivakumar appealed against protests by senior citizens and women over the Bidadi Township issue.
"I do not want anyone, especially at this age, to stand near the Mahatma Gandhi statue and protest. No mother should have to beat government officials with brooms. If I am guilty and have destroyed livelihoods, I am ready to face criticism," he said.
Shivakumar also reiterated that land acquisition for public purposes has taken place across Karnataka under successive governments for projects such as airports, irrigation schemes and urban development initiatives. He cited instances of farmers who had parted with land near Bengaluru during the tenures of former Chief Ministers late S.M. Krishna and M. Veerappa Moily for relatively modest compensation, noting that the value of those properties had since increased substantially.
The Chief Minister's remarks came amid an escalating political battle over the proposed Bidadi Township Project, with the BJP and JD(S) accusing the Congress government of attempting to acquire agricultural land, a charge the government has repeatedly denied.
Significantly, CM Shivakumar on Wednesday asserted that the settlement was neither his "dream project" nor one initiated by him, and accused political opponents of misleading farmers and conspiring against him. He also ruled out forced land acquisition for Bidadi Township and announced his decision to set up an expert panel soon.