Khata conversion row: Kumaraswamy lacks basic common sense, says DKS

Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Sunday lashed out at Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy for criticising the conversion of B-Khata properties into A-Khata.

He called Mr. Kumaraswamy’s criticism as ‘baseless and empty rhetoric’.

On Saturday, Mr. Kumaraswamy described the conversion scheme as ‘daylight robbery’ and an attempt to fill the government’s empty treasury. He further alleged that the scheme was ‘bogus’.

Mr. Shivakumar said that Mr. Kumaraswamy’s criticism of the conversion scheme was entirely unfounded, calling him a ‘khali trunk’ (empty trunk).

When asked about Mr. Kumaraswamy’s claim that his government would have reduced the Khata charges but the current administration was looting money, Mr. Shivakumar replied, “If we are looting, let him (Mr. Kumaraswamy) come and take it from our pockets.”

“Mr. Kumaraswamy is not educated. He lacks basic common sense. He doesn’t even understand what A-Khata and B-Khata are. I didn’t implement B-Khata. The BJP did,” Mr. Shivakumar said.

The Deputy Chief Minister added that he had challenged Mr. Kumaraswamy to a debate on the subject, but he never showed up. “Let me see, now he has even started asking my officials what A-Khata and B-Khata are,” Mr. Shivakumar remarked.

“He is dreaming of something, but I have dreamt bigger. He dreamed and got 18 seats, while I got 136. Next, he might come down to eight, and I will reach 150,” Mr. Shivakumar said.