Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Friday said his statement needs to be reconsidered after reports of Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge pulling him up did the rounds.
Shivakumar had allegedly said that the state government would review the ‘Shakti’ guarantee scheme.
The scheme offers free bus travel to women in the state.
While speaking to the media reporters, Shivakumar said that my statement was twisted and whatever the elders say we have to follow that.
“Whatever our elders say we follow that. My statement was twisted. There is no question of closing the scheme. I had just said that we will discuss it. But the Bharatiya Janata Party just wants to do politics over everything,” he added.
Shivakumar further stated that this was the first time such an incident has ever occurred.
“Since the day I became the Deputy CM has anybody heard of a single interference from my end,” said Shivakumar.
On being asked about Basanagouda Patil Yatnal letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Deputy CM said, “I don’t want to comment on people who need to be hospitalised. He needs treatment.”
Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday pulled up Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister over his statement that the state government would review the ‘Shakti’ guarantee scheme.
The Congress government here has introduced Shakti scheme, one of the five guarantees offering free ride for women in the non-luxury government buses.
Kharge’s statement came after the Congress government in Karnataka suggested that it could review the Shakti scheme which ensured free bus transport for women.
Shivakumar on Wednesday said that the government would revisit the Shakti scheme as some women have expressed their wish to pay for travelling in the government buses.
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