From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, May 10: “Lokada donka neeveke tidduviri?” (Why are you correcting the wrongs of the world) was how Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar retorted to JDS leader H D Kumaraswamy meeting Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot demanding CBI probe in the sex videos and pen drives scandal of Hassan involving his own nephew Prajwal Revanna, JDS Hassan MP.
On the occasion of the Basava Jayanti day after garlanding the statue of the 12th century philosopher, reformer and poet Basavanna in front of Vidhana Soudha on Friday, Shivakumar, who is known for reciting Sanskrit verses as well as Basavanna’s vachanas, quoted the Basavanna’s vachana as reply to Kumaraswamy.
“Lokada donka neeveke tidduviri? Nimma nimma tanuva santaisikolli, nimma nimma manava santaisikolli.” (Why are you correcting the wrongs of the world. Console your own bodies and your minds), he said in response to Kumaraswamy submitting a memorandum to the Governor alleging that he (Shivakumar) was the “master mind” behind the circulation of the sex videos and pen drives containing explicit recordings of rapes of the women victims by Prajwal Revanna.
Shivakumar said Kumaraswamy should first set right his own house (family) before talking about others as preached by Basavanna.
Kumaraswamy had alleged that Shivakumar has “tutored” Karthik, the person who had recorded the videos from Prajwal Revanna’s mobile phone on to pen drives and circulated them, as Karthik was a long-time driver of Prajwal Revanna.
“I can only say all the best,” he said in response to questions on Kumaraswamy’s demand submitted in a memorandum to the Governor for ordering a CBI probe into the Hassan sex videos and pen drives scandal as he had alleged that the SIT constituted by the Siddaramaiah government was ‘not fair and impartial’.
Asked about the National Women’s Commission’s statement that none of the victim women had lodged any complaints with it, the Deputy Chief Minister said: “It is some consolation that the NCW has at least responded and given its comments. It is not our responsibility to reply to NCW as the police and investigating officers would give a proper reply if needed.”
Replying to another question on the statement by SIT officers that none of the women victims have come forward to speak to them, he said: “The victims are scared and afraid of threats and dangers from influential political leaders to their lives. Why would they risk their lives?”
To a question on the racist comments on skin colour of South Indians by IT czar Sam Pitroda from the US, he made it clear that India is known for its unity in diversity and the Congress party is committed to secular policies. There is no need to harbour any doubts on the stand of the Congress party.
‘The Congress government is following the precepts and teachings of Basavanna. Equal rights and equal opportunities is the principle followed by the government which was preached by Basavanna. All the programmes and guarantees of the government are based on the principle,” he said.
He later participated in the Basava Jayanti celebration organised by Basava Samiti in Bengaluru.