Bengaluru, 6 Jan

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar dismissed HD Kumaraswamy’s brand of politics as not serious after the former chief minister criticised the Congress government and demanded a CBI probe into the Ballari violence.

Shivakumar said he doesn’t want to respond to Kumaraswamy’s “theatrics”.

“I don’t need to respond to Kumaraswamy. He comes, speaks and goes back. We want peace in Ballari,” the KPCC President said at Vidhana Soudha on Tuesday. “The people of Ballari have suffered enough in the past and we don’t want any trouble for them in the future.”

Kumaraswamy had also slammed Shivakumar after the latter said that BJP MLA Janardhan Reddy can take “security from US or Iran”. Reddy had sought Z-Category security. 

Kumaraswamy claimed the government was trying to shield the accused.

“We will talk about whom to give security and for what reason later. The Home Minister will respond to it. I don’t have to respond to him,” Shivakumar retorted.

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara separately dismissed Kumaraswamy’s claim that there were two autopsies being conducted on the deceased Raja Shekhar, who was killed during clashes between supporters of Janaradhan and Congress MLA Nara Bharath Reddy over the instillation of Valmiki banners.

Shivakumar said that the BJP was "restless and trying to do something," adding that he would personally visit Ballari.