HDK calls K’taka Cabinet’s sit-in as ‘political drama’

CH NEWS, BENGALURU Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has launched a blistering attack on the state government, condemning the Chief Minister and his cabinet colleagues for staging a street protest over alleged electoral roll irregularities instead of attending a scheduled cabinet meeting. Speaking outside his J.P. Nagar residence, Kumaraswamy ridiculed the demonstration as a "laughable" political charade orchestrated under instructions from national party leaders in Delhi. The controversy centers on the ruling party's public protests against alleged voter list tampering during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. Dismissing the uproar, Kumaraswamy accused the Congress party of hypocrisy, alleging that ruling party members themselves manipulated voter rolls when the revision process first commenced. He claimed that the NDA alliance had previously lodged formal complaints with the Election Commission regarding unauthorized voter gathering centers, but no legal action was taken at the time. Kumaraswamy further alleged that the sudden focus on electoral roll irregularities is an intentional diversionary tactic designed to pull public attention away from recent explosive political debates surrounding the controversial Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises (NICE) project land allegations. "They have brought this SIR issue to the forefront now to divert public attention while that matter is being hotly debated in political and public circles," Kumaraswamy stated, adding that the state treasury has been heavily depleted by welfare guarantee schemes, leaving insufficient funds to manage large-scale infrastructural buyouts. The Union Minister sharply criticized the unprecedented spectacle of executive leadership abandoning official administrative duties to participate in street demonstrations. He questioned how police authorities permitted a protest by sitting cabinet ministers in apparent disregard of judicial orders regarding public demonstrations. Concluding his remarks, Kumaraswamy accused the state leadership of lacking administrative autonomy. "He visits Delhi to secure orders and approval from his high command; when they signal him, he dances to their tune here," Kumaraswamy remarked, adding that the administration is simultaneously sidelining key regional leaders within its own ranks.