A war of words broke out between Energy Minister D.K. Shivakumar and former Chief Minister and JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy in the Legislative Assembly on Monday over the demolition of buildings/houses constructed by encroaching on Sarakki Lake at J.P. Nagar.
Mr. Kumaraswamy challenged the government to demolish “houses constructed by IAS officers, Ministers and former legislators” on the encroached lake. The Bengaluru Urban district administration has only demolished houses/buildings constructed by the general public, he alleged.
Irked over the JD(S) leader’s remark, Mr. Shivakumar asked Mr. Kumaraswamy to name the high-profile encroachers and promised action. The decade-old enmity between the two leaders came the fore as Mr. Kumaraswamy alleged that Mr. Shivakumar had grabbed land in Shantinagar Cooperative Housing Society.
This was followed by a heated debate over the contribution of former Chief Ministers to Bengaluru. Mr. Kumaraswamy questioned Mr. Shivakumar’s statement that former Chief Minister S.M. Krishna’s pro-IT policy enhanced the image of the city globally and claimed that the foundation stone for Electronic City was laid when JD(S) leader H.D. Deve Gowda was the Prime Minister. Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy said the foundation stone was laid during the Congress regime when M. Veerappa Moily was the Chief Minister. Mr. Kumaraswamy immediately said that Mr. Deve Gowda had ensured Cauvery water to the city during the mid 1990s.
When Basavaraj Rayaraddi (Congress) questioned Mr. Kumaraswamy’s contribution when he was the Chief Minister for 20 months, the JD(S) leader said the foundation stone for Namma Metro was laid during his tenure.
