"No medicine for jealousy and resentment:" Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge slams HD Kumaraswamy's remarks on NICE Project

Addressing the media, Kharge asserted that if the NICE project is illegal, Kumaraswamy should take the matter directly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Kharge further alleged that it has become a habit for the BJP and JD(S) to consistently comment on personal matters of the people.

Kumaraswamy is a Union Minister and a former Chief Minister. He had two decades and was Chief Minister twice. Why didnt he speak about this then? There is no medicine for jealousy and resentment. How much have you spoken about Karnataka in the last three months? How much have you spoken about D.K. Shivakumar? If NICE is illegal, take it to Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Home Minister Amit Shah. You are a Union Minister yourself. Who has stopped you?," he said

"When you had the authority, you did not speak about any of this. It has become a habit for the BJP and JD(S) to talk about personal matters. Let us discuss everyones assets how much property they have, how much you have, how everyone acquired their assets and when they acquired them. Let us call a special session specifically for this. Let us discuss how much property your relatives have, how much D.K. Shivakumar has, how much I have, how much you have, how the assets were acquired and what was acquired. Let everything be known to the people. Your friends in the Central Government conducted IT and ED raids against the Chief Minister, didnt they? Didnt they send him to jail? What happened? What case is pending against him now? You are in the Central Government; you have all the power. Please tell the Prime Minister and the Home Minister," Kharge added.

Kharge's remarks came after Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy alleged that Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar's wealth jumped from Rs 4 crore to Rs 1,444 crore due to alleged fraud committed during the implementation of the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Project (BMICP), commonly called the NICE Road.

Following Kumaraswamy's allegations, Karnataka CM DK Shivakumar dismissed the claims, questioning whether he and his children were not entitled to acquire property, while asserting that he had built all his assets strictly within the parameters of the law.

"He has spoken about my assets. As the son of a farmer and an entrepreneur, shouldn't I have assets? Shouldn't my children buy assets? I have built assets within the opportunities provided by the lawwhat's wrong with that? Is Kumarswamy some income tax officer? Let him provide information to the income tax department. Can only these people, who come from some village, buy properties all over here? Under BMIC project, NICE road schemeisn't there his property? Who all have acquired properties? Why are all his properties spread outhow did property come under Bidadari Township scheme? Let Kumarswamy do whatever he wants; I won't worry about it. I have assets, and if my children have the capacity, they will acquire more. There is opportunity in the law, they have the ability to purchase, they live," said DK Shivakumar (ANI).