'Am I Mad?' DK Shivakumar Offers To Resign! Find Out Why
DK Shivakumar Denies Constitutional Amendment Claims, Challenges BJP to Prove Allegations
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Tuesday, March 25, refuted BJP accusations that he suggested amending the Constitution to enable religion-based reservations, asserting he would “retire from politics” if proven true.
Addressing reporters, he challenged the opposition: “I’m ready to retire from politics if I have ever spoken about changing the Constitution. Will they (the BJP) accept this challenge? Let them verify where I said it.”
The row stems from Shivakumar’s defense of Karnataka’s 4% Muslim reservation in public contracts during a news channel program, which the BJP claimed implied constitutional changes—sparking a parliamentary uproar on Monday. Shivakumar dismissed the allegations as “baseless,” urging scrutiny of his full interview.
“Whatever they (BJP) are claiming is a lie; it holds no meaning. I urge my media and political friends to watch the entire interview from start to finish,” he said, adding, “They cannot digest the truth I speak. If I had said anything wrong, I would have admitted it.”
He accused the BJP of “spreading false claims” out of intolerance for his stance, retorting, “Am I mad? Those raising this issue have gone mad. BJP leaders cannot accept what I said in my interview, nor can they tolerate my political stance.”
Shivakumar confirmed the Congress high command reviewed his statement and found no fault. “They asked me about it, and I told them to review the video. After watching it, they were convinced,” he said. On BJP’s planned protests, he quipped, “They have a special affection for me… They can’t sleep without taking my name.”
Affirming Congress’s commitment to the Constitution, Shivakumar accused the BJP of diverting attention from key issues, solidifying his stand amid escalating tensions.
