BENGALURU: Senior Congress leader D K Shivakumar has been accused of appeasement by the BJP, for helping his constituents put up a statue of Jesus Christ in Harobele village, in Kanakapura. IN an interview with The New Sunday Express, Shivakumar says he is only keeping his promise to his people. Excerpts:
BJP’s Suresh Kumar has said the statue will encourage conversion from Hinduism to Christianity.
The people in this remote village are already Christians, living here for more than 400-500 years. Where is the question of conversion? It is these people who will be offering prayers. BJP thrives on creating religious disputes where there are none, and gathering votes. They cook up lies and get people to believe them, as in Hubballi and the Datta Peeta issue. Harobele has nothing to do with conversion.
I started my career in a Christian institution in Kanakapura. When I was being harassed by IT-ED officials, these people held all-night vigils, prayed and fasted for me, some even observed moun vrat.
My bond with the villagers runs deep. They have been offering prayers at a piece of land for over 114 years. About two years ago, they came up with a demand to put up a statue, and the HD Kumaraswamy cabinet gave the Harobele Kapalibetta Development Trust permission for this.
A 10-acre plot on a barren hillock was given to them. On December 25, I met the Trust members and gave them Rs 10 lakh, the amount given by the Trust. Remember, I have helped build not one, but more than 100 temples. In Yeshwantpur, we gave Rs 40-50 crore to build a Rama temple. They are jealous of my secular outlook. This is a secular country and everyone has the freedom to worship.
BJP accuses you of doing this to please AICC president Sonia Gandhi, because you are interested in the KPCC president’s post...
Before they talk, they should think. Why is Sonia Gandhi’s name being dragged into this? It was in 2016-2017 that I gave the people of Harobele my word to help them put up a statue. It is a Christian village. I cautioned them to get documentation done first. BJP is trying to politicise the issue by dragging Sonia Gandhi’s name. How many lies will BJP utter to whip up communal sentiments?
Uttara Kannada MP Ananth Kumar Hegde called you a ghulam (servant).
He has nothing better to do, he is unemployed. Let him call me servant or ghulam, it’s fine. He wants to burn the Constitution of BR Ambedkar. He is a promising youngster, I wish him well.
Why the village of Harobele?
I have a deep emotional connect with the people of Harobele. When I was in need, these villagers prayed for me. They are my constituents and have a deep love for me. The BJP is screaming hoarse over a non-issue.