Kalaburagi,18 October

Home Minister Priyank Kharge on Sunday asked Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy to submit documents and information in his possession to investigating agencies instead of making “baseless” allegations publicly. 

Priyank stressed that action will be taken as per law based on leads emerging in the investigation.

Speaking to the media in Kalaburagi, Priyank said it is inappropriate to draw conclusions from outside while the investigation is still underway. If Kumaraswamy has specific information, he should visit the office of the Director General of Police and submit the documents. If he does not trust the authorities, he should present them before a court and prove the facts.

“The people will decide who is undermining the dignity of politics,” he added. 

CASTE ROW

Priyank also took exception to Kumaraswamy’s comments on his caste. Kumaraswamy has called Priyank the Congress “blue-eyed boy” and said that the Home Minister was a strong and powerful Dalit leader who had sidelined others. Kumaraswamy challenged Priyank to contest in a general seat and win, rather than from a reserved ST/SC constituency.

“Kumaraswamy cannot tolerate Dalits like me speaking English and progressing politically,” Priyank responded. “He and his son (Nikhil Kumaraswamy) can become film producers,” but it’s a problem when I progress, Priyank added, a response to criticisms that he is the son of AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge.

“If me wearing a suit is intolerable to Kumaraswamy, I will get 10 suits stitched and wear them,” Priyank added. 

Priyank also questioned whether society was mature enough to elect Dalit candidates from general seats, noting that President Droupadi Murmu was not allowed into a temple and the purification of a stage in Haldwani after Mallikarjun delivered a speech there.