Kodagu, April 14: Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar today demanded an explanation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders on Kumaraswamy’s derogatory statement against women.
“Kumaraswamy has insulted the mothers and sisters of Karnataka with his statement. I won’t seek an apology from him but seek an explanation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Smriti Irani,” he said while speaking to reporters after a campaign rally.
“Kumaraswamy has said that rural women are going astray due to the guarantee schemes of the Congress government. He has insulted our mothers and sisters. Women of our State are self respecting people and they are very upset at Kumaraswamy’s statement. They are planning a major protest against him and we won’t come in the way. We encourage them to take up their fight within the legal boundaries,” he said.
“Our government has launched five Guarantee schemes to improve the lives of women and make them self reliant. Women are able to save about Rs 4000 to Rs 5000 per month. And they are able to help their families and children with this savings. Kumaraswamy’s statement is an insult to the hardworking women,” he said.
“The BJP leaders must tell the people how they included people like Kumaraswamy in the NDA. We call India has Bharat Mata, our Nada devathe is Chamundeshwari. But Kumaraswamy thinks women are not responsible,” he added.
Asked where the government is getting money for guarantee schemes, the Deputy Chief minister said, “We have saved a lot of money by stopping corruption in the State and the same money is being used for the guarantee schemes.
Asked about the manifesto of the BJP, he said, “What is there in the BJP manifesto? They have converted the budget document itself into the manifesto. There are no guarantees like our manifesto.”
Asked about BJP’s claim that it has given 25 crore employment, he said, “Who have they given the employment? We are in Kodagu, ask the people how many people have got employment here?”
Asked if the Vokkaliga strategy would work in Mysore-Kodagu parliamentary constituency, he said, “Ticket was not givin to Vokkaligas for the last 40 years and there was a demand for that from the party workers. I am sure people will support us.”