Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], June 20 : Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Friday hit out at Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy, saying that he would neither win nor form a government in the state.
Speaking to reporters at his Sadashivanagar residence, he said, "Kumaraswamy had called on his supporters to get ready for a BJP-JDS government. I replied to him then, stating that I would present him with a suit (clothes) if he won the election and formed the government in 2028."
Shivakumar was replying to a reporter asking for his response on Kumaraswamy's statement that he wasn't that poor to take clothes from him.
Amid the ongoing chaos over the increase in reservation quota for minorities under various housing schemes, the Karnataka Deputy CM assured that the quota was not being snatched from anyone.
"The Housing Minister has only transferred the quota of minorities from rural areas to urban areas as the number of minorities is low in the rural areas. The quota is not being snatched from anyone to give it to minorities," he clarified.
Shivakumar further said that the minorities were provided reservation quota in rural areas, as per the Sachar committee report. However, they are not being utilised given the low population of minorities in rural areas, so the quota was transferred to urban areas.
"As per the Sachar Committee report, minorities were given quota in rural areas also. However, the quota was not being utilised as the number of minorities in rural areas was low. It is now being transferred from rural areas to urban areas. We are not snatching away anything from anyone. As much as 90 per cent of the SC/STs have been given homes. The government can't provide funds unless it lays the foundation for the house," he explained.
Standing firm on the Karnataka government's decision, Shivakumar said that the Congress government in the state believes in the equal life and equal share philosophy.
"Opposition parties are politicising this, let them do it. The government can't incur losses due to flats lying vacant. We had given the opportunity for SC/STs, and their quota was over. We then transferred it to backward classes and general categories. We are a government that believes in the equal life and equal share philosophy. Let them discuss our work in the Assembly session," he added.
When asked about BR Patil's accusation that houses are allotted under Rajiv Gandhi housing scheme only if bribes are paid, he said that he was not aware of it.