“If I have wronged, let them hang me or jail me. If I have not obeyed the law of this country, let God and the law punish me,” said Congress leader D.K. Shivakumar, who landed in Bengaluru on Saturday, two days after the Delhi High Court granted him bail in the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case.
Shivakumar, during a press meet at the KPCC office, said the central agencies are planning to rake up old cases against him. "I have come out of Tihar Jail two days back. But the (Enforcement Directorate) ED has already appealed to the Supreme Court stating that Shivakumar does not deserve bail. I was told that my stint as UDD minister (during S.M. Krishna government) will be probed by the CBI. I am ready to cooperate with any probe," he said, adding that he would fight it all and would not surrender to the BJP's game plan to break him down.
Shivakumar was given a hero's welcome by his supporters and Congress workers when he landed in Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru at 2.30 pm on Saturday. He was taken to the KPCC office in a huge rally that took almost four hours.
The Congress leader was accompanied by his brother D.K. Suresh, and Congress MLAs and MLCs during the rally, while KPCC chief Dinesh Gundu Rao, senior party leaders K.J. George and Eshwara Khandre were present at the press meet. However, former chief minister and leader of opposition Siddaramaiah and former deputy chief minister G. Parameshwara were conspicuous by their absence.
Shivakumar said his homecoming was a special occasion and hence he had first visited the KPCC office, which is no less than a temple for him.
"Since August 30, I have experienced immense love from my friends across parties, party workers, leaders and supporters. When you are in power, there will be many behind you. But it matters who stands with you when you are in trouble. I saw party workers in Assam, Kerala and Gujarat protest in support of me. Hundreds of party workers from Karnataka were waiting outside Delhi courts to get a glimpse of me. I can never repay their love,” said Shivakumar, adding that he was overwhelmed by AICC chief Sonia Gandhi calling on him at Tihar Jail.
"I was never a national leader. I am only a loyal party worker. I am thankful to our party high command as they stood by me. Sonia Gandhi came to see me in the jail. She had never seen one. There are many restrictions in the jail and no one was allowed to meet me. However, leaders like Anand Sharma, (K.C.) Venugopal and Ahmed Patel visited me. So many others like Siddaramaiah could not meet me. But I have come back stronger and have resolved to fight for my party," said Shivakumar, reiterating his commitment to the party.
Recalling the past, the Vokkaliga strongman said he had hosted Congress MLAs from Maharashtra during Vilasrao Deshmukh's tenure and had informed S.M. Krishna about it only in the next morning. "Sonia Gandhi and Ambika Soni had given me the task. (Mallikarjun) Kharge was the then home minister and he was on a tour. I informed him after I had taken up the responsibility. I always stand by whatever I say. I too had many opportunities to get carried away by inducements. But my conscience would not permit me to let down my party," said Shivakumar who also dared the central agencies to continue the probe and procedure in all other cases against other leaders.
"The tax evasion and PMLA case against me will set precedence in all other cases. I want to see if the agencies will follow the same procedure in other cases too. I have gifted mementos as a energy or irrigation minister. The I-T gave me notice. I spent my personal money. But all MPs have taken the phone as gift. Will such cases be probed?," asked Shivakumar.
Expressing displeasure over people misinterpreting his election affidavit and the court proceedings, the Congress leader said he would reply to every question at an appropriate time.
"I read every act and law sitting in jail. All our properties have been attached by my income tax friends saying I am the benami for my mother. I will fight back. I will not back out. But one thing that hurt me was my children had to hear taunts about my going to jail. It was an emotional issue. My 86-year-old mother was issued summons to appear before the ED in Delhi. My aides were harassed too. When it becomes dark, my own shadow will not be with me. I am aware of it. I will fight it all, " he said.
Taking a dig at the BJP, Shivakumar said, "They (the BJP) have made me stronger. My will power is stronger than ever. There is no question of surrendering to them. I will fight it all. My legal team has done a great job," said Shivakumar, adding that he had to focus on his health for a couple of days.
Earlier, the state Congress chief alleged that the BJP had launched a witch-hunt against their their political opponents. "The BJP started targeting the previous Congress government and attempted to taint the image of Congress leaders. During the elections, they misused the I-T department to harass the opposition parties. They tried to topple the coalition government using the I-T, ED and CBI. Our leaders Shamanur Shivashankarappa, K.J. George and others were targeted. But during the Gujarat Rajya Sabha elections, the Congress MLAs were hosted by us and Shivakumar had taken the lead. That was the trigger. Shivakumar had made it clear even in the assembly that he would not be bogged down by such threats.
The BJP top leaders then hatched a big conspiracy to intimidate Shivakumar by insulting and harassing his family too. He was arrested even though there was no need for it. I know how he has been treated in the hospital too. It is not a matter concerning an individual. It is the parry that is the target. We are ready to face our opponents politically. But this is an attempt to silence the opposition. The political clout is controlling the agencies and the courts."
Sonia Gandhi has called on both leaders, Chidambaram and Shivakumar, in jail to give a strong message that the party will stand by its leaders, said Rao, adding that the huge turn out at Shivakumar's reception was because people could see through the low level politics of the BJP.
"The message is clear. People are unhappy with the BJP's political witch-hunt. Be it Chidambaram, Shivakumar or Parameshwara. You cannot force us to yield and surrender to you. We are proud of how Shivakumar is facing this onslaught. We resolve to topple this authoritarian rule. The Maharashtra and Haryana results have a lesson for the BJP," said Rao.
