'Is Bengaluru your feudal property?' BJP asks D K Shivakumar

Bengaluru: The BJP on Thursday criticised Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar after he was caught on video saying that Jayanagar MLA C K Ramamurthy must be "obedient with me" to receive grants for his constituency.

Shivakumar, the Bengaluru City Development minister, has withheld discretionary grants to Jayanagar whose BJP MLA accused him of causing the city's decline.

On Wednesday, while travelling on the Nagasandra-Madavara metro line, Shivakumar was in conversation with Bangalore South BJP MP Tejasvi Surya who brought up the issue of grants to Jayanagar.

"He (Ramamurthy) is speaking too much...nan hathra swalpa taggi-baggi irbeku. Bere avara thara nan hathra adadre yaavan keltane adanna? (One must be obedient with me. How will things work if they treat me like others?)" Shivakumar is heard telling Surya in Kannada.

On October 25, Shivakumar ordered Rs 10 crore each to 26 Assembly constituencies in Bengaluru, represented by both Congress and BJP lawmakers. He left out Jayanagar.

Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka slammed Shivakumar for his remarks. "Do you think Bengaluru is your feudal property? The power you enjoy is alms given by voters. It is your Constitutional responsibility and not any feudal system. In a democracy, obedience must be towards voters and the Constitution. Not to any chieftain. You should quit your pride, arrogance and supremacy and develop a service mindset. Carry out your responsibility as a minister without discriminating against any constituency," Ashoka said.

Reacting to this, Shivakumar said he was having a conversation with Surya. "I told Surya about what the MLA said...the MLA should explain how Bengaluru is declining after I came to power," he said. "Also, Ashoka said the Lokayukta investigation (on the MUDA case) is match-fixing. Lokayukta is a Constitutional body. Ashoka holds a Constitutional post. So, does whatever he speak amount to match-fixing?"

Earlier, when the BJP first raised an objection, Shivakumar said his government has provided Rs 40 crore to Jayanagar under various development programmes.