Bengaluru, Dec 4 ( LatestNewsX ) – Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar shot back at Legislative Council opposition head Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, who had asked whether the pricey watches carried by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and himself were bought or pilfered. In a snide reply, Shivakumar claimed he had actually taken the watch from Narayanaswamy’s home.
During a press briefing held at Vidhana Soudha, Shivakumar, who is also the state Congress president, dismissed BJP criticism of his luxury watches, insisting that he had been transparent about all of them.
“I publicly disclosed every detail about the expensive watches I own. I know the purchase of that watch — what do BJP leaders know?” he said.
When the council leader accused him of omitting the watch from his affidavit, Shivakumar answered, “What do they know? I’m the one who entered the money; I paid with a credit card. Everything has been fully declared. I even stated I own a Rolex. There’s nothing for me to learn from Narayanaswamy.”
Responding with sarcasm to the question of whether the watch was stolen, he quipped, “Yes, I stole it from his house.”
Asked about the Women Employees’ Conference, Shivakumar explained that the government has rolled out several initiatives to support women. While then‑Minister for Irrigation, he visited the Ettinahole project site, where a trespasser had blocked progress. He instructed the three women IAS officers on hand, and they resolved the issue within a month.
“Women are capable in every respect; they work more systematically than men. That’s why we’re encouraging them. Today we’re extending support through the Women Employees’ Association programme. There should be no discrimination — men and women are equal,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka BJP raised the issue again on Thursday, asking why both leaders seemed to avoid answering questions about their luxury watches and whether those timepieces were bought or stolen.
Speaking from a BJP press room at Jagannath Bhavan in Bengaluru, opposition leader Chalavadi Narayanaswamy demanded an explanation: “Why do you divert the topic when asked about the watches?” He pressed for clarity on the leaders’ evasive stance.
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