Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], August 26 : People questioning my loyalty to Congress and the Gandhi family are "stupid," Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said on Tuesday as he apologised to party workers and INDIA bloc leaders for inadvertently causing hurt while reciting the RSS anthem.
"I have said many things to pull the leg of Opposition members. Many, including my friends, are trying to do politics and create confusion among the public. I reiterate my earlier statement that I am a born Congressman. No one can question my loyalty to the party and the Gandhi family. If anyone does, they are stupid. No one has fought as much as I have in the state. No one can even come close to being among the contemporaries. I am committed to building 100 party offices in the state on the occasion of 100 years of Gandhi becoming the party president. I don't know how long I will be in power, but I want to leave a permanent mark on the party," Shivakumar said.
Apologising to party workers and India bloc leaders if he had inadvertently hurt their sentiments, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar today said that he had not done anything wrong.
Addressing a press conference at Vidhana Soudha to clear the air about singing the anthem of RSS, he said, "I haven't praised the RSS. It is my job to learn about my opponents. I sang a few lines of the RSS anthem in the Assembly to pull the leg of Leader of the Opposition R Ashok. I was only trying to tell Ashok that I know his background. But, some people have taken out only the anthem without the context and are making national news."
"If someone wants to criticise me without knowing my history, conviction and philosophy, it is their wish. Some of my colleagues are criticising me. I will apologise to the INDIA bloc leaders, but I am scared of those who want to play politics. Let no one have the feeling that I have been forced to apologise. I am not the type who is scared of threats," he said.
"I come from student politics, and I have studied the history and agenda of all political parties. It is my duty. I have understood how RSS spread its roots in Karnataka even before the BJP came to power. As a political leader, I have understood how RSS is organising in the state," he added.
When asked if Rahul Gandhi sought clarification about his action, he said, "No one has questioned me regarding this. Nobody from the High Command had spoken to me about it. They may have discussed and sought information from others. Everyone trusts me at the party. They know that I will die at the party," he said.