- 4 months ago
At the India Today Conclave South 2025, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar spoke on his hopes of leading the state, the RSS anthem controversy, and the Dharmasthala case.
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00:00Namaskara, welcome once again to the India Today South Conclave where we are joined by
00:07a very special guest, someone who is seen to be the face of the Congress of the future,
00:14someone who has built a strong, formidable reputation as a politician who certainly knows
00:19how to win elections.
00:21Our special guest is the Deputy Chief Minister and Senior Leader of the Congress Party, DK
00:29Shiv Kumar, the Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka. Please give him a very big hand, ladies and gentlemen.
00:39Thank you very much, Mr. Shiv Kumar, for joining us. Our subject is how do you make Bengaluru
00:45great again? But before that, I just want to understand, the moment we told people that
00:50you are coming here this morning, lots of people suddenly wanted to attend the conclave. Every
00:56Congress leader in Coimbatore wants to meet you. What is your secret? Why have you become,
01:02I thought you were a leader of Karnataka, you seem to have crossed the divide and entered
01:06Tamil Nadu.
01:08We all are basically Indians. India is one country with lot of diversity.
01:13We believe in our same constitution. So we all have been protected with it. So we love each
01:27other.
01:28Very clearly, November 20th, two and a half years will be completed of the Karnataka government
01:35under Mr. Sidharamaya. The buzz in Delhi and Bengaluru is that there was some kind of an
01:40arrangement, two and a half years, Mr. Sidharamaya as chief minister, two and a half years, Mr.
01:45D.K. Shiv Kumar. Am I therefore talking to the next chief minister of Karnataka? If we
01:50have this conclave two months from now, I will have to introduce you as the chief minister
01:55of Karnataka.
01:57See, I don't like to speak anything on the media. It is me and my leadership, me and my party,
02:07and me and Mr. Sidharamaya. So my party, high command is whole and soul for us. We go by
02:17their directions. Whatever they decide, we accept. We work. We have promised to the people
02:26of Karnataka. We will give you a good government with good governance. That is the most important
02:33thing. So we all will work together for whatever we have promised to the people of Karnataka.
02:39Sir, that is a politically correct answer. Now you have to give me the reality. Every time
02:44I ask you the question, there is a glint in your eye and a smile on your face. And I recall
02:49meeting you even in May of 23 when you all won the election and somewhere even your supporters,
02:54your own MLS when I meet them say DK Shiv Kumar will take over before 2025 is over. Is there
03:00a hope, an expectation? You have often been open about the fact that why should I not be considered
03:06as a chief minister? So is that a hope that you could succeed Mr. Sidharamaya one day?
03:11No, time will answer. I am not to answer. Only the time has to answer.
03:15But you are hopeful. See, all, anyone in this world has to live on hope. Without hope there
03:25is no life.
03:30Have you been given any assurance by your high command, your leadership for all your
03:34Karnataka Congress President, you played a major role in bringing your party to power
03:39in the state? Have you been given any assurance? DK Shiv Kumar, don't worry. Be patient.
03:44No, it is not a one man's effort or not me or Sidharamaya or some of us. It is all of us
03:52have worked together. We tirelessly worked together. We gave a commitment to the people of Karnataka.
04:00The people responded to her. They believed to us. It is the unity which brought us big
04:07strength.
04:08I will come to what has happened in Karnataka and Bengaluru over the last two years and what
04:15is not. But one more controversy I want you to settle today. Few days ago, few weeks ago,
04:22this happened and I am going to play the video and I want you today once and for all to settle
04:27it. This happened in the Karnataka assembly. Please take a look at this video and then I
04:32want Mr. Shiv Kumar to respond to it. Producer, if you can play the video, please.
04:37Okay, the video was of you at the Karnataka assembly reciting a RSS song. Immediately it was picked upon
04:58by your rivals, both within the Congress. So it was picked upon by your rivals in BJP and in Congress
05:15to say DK Shiv Kumar is already half one foot in the BJP RSS. Settle it for now. Is it true that you
05:23were once in the RSS as a young man? Is it true that you are being approached by the BJP? What
05:29is the truth?
05:30See, I am a born congressman. I will die as a congressman. That is number one. Number two,
05:37see, I am a political leader. I am not a good student. I was not a graduate. I became a graduate
05:47at the age of forty-six. Forty-six. When I was a final year student, I contested assembly against
05:54Mr. Devagoda. Then Rajiv Gandhi gave me a ticket. So, to enter politics, to know, first you should know
06:04yourself, your surrounding and your enemies. Who are your enemies? So I have been looking at various
06:12political parties. I should know what is the strength of BJP. The strength of BJP, it doesn't have any
06:19ideology. The ideology has been picked by the RSS. What is RSS? How they are doing? What is communist? Or what
06:28other regional parties are there? What is Jantadal? The anti or the dissidents or any other issues, the Jantadal
06:38came to existence in Karnataka. Then later, these fractions then converted into BJP. So, I should know who is my
06:47strength. That is, I know how RSS is grooming the BJP. Earlier, only two leaders were there in this country.
06:54Atal B.R. Vajpa and Advani. How they picked it up? All these things I had to make a study to see that. That is how I was so
07:02confident. When the results were supposed to come, I remember your anchor in Panipat. When I was going to
07:11Bharat Johor Yatra, she asked me, what you are telling? I said, you take it on record. 136 is my number. You also
07:18came to me. I said to you also, you Rajeeb, you go ahead. 136 will be my number. That was my number. This is my
07:27number. 223, 28. Again, I will come to you. That will be, you also will tell. Again, Congress party will
07:34come to Karnataka again and you will congratulate me that day. So, you have become a pollster. You are
07:40saying you got 136 in the last election. You predicted it. You are predicting a Congress victory
07:45in 2028. But let me settle this. You are saying never a question of having anything to do with the
07:50RSS. You will not become an Eknath Shinde-like figure if you are denied chief ministership.
07:55It is not the question. There is no point. No one has looked at me also. Sometime, they might have
08:04looked at. See, someone is at the riping stage when fruit become, when mango, it is green, no one
08:11will throw stones. One, it will be ripe for someone. They feel that. Some may have tried. I don't tell
08:16no to it. But there is no question. My loyalty to the Gandhi family is different. It is the
08:22Gandhi family has kept this party and the country united. See, I had a twin theatre at my younger
08:30days. I named it after Indra Gandhi. The day she died, I named my theatre as Indra Gandhi, Indraji
08:38Chitramandiri. That is her. So, you are a born congressman. You will die as a congressman.
08:43It was, you see, even for SM Krishna, before leaving the congress party before early day,
08:49Ahmad Bhai called me. I went, no one picked the phone. He was not. I just tried to pick
08:57the phone and give to him and made him to speak. I wanted him to die as a congressman. That
09:01was my desire. Because congress party, for me also, chief minister is not important. I have
09:08seen, when I came here, you see thousands of people receiving me, speaking to me and
09:13all. I don't want to be, for my selfish reason, I don't want to be. Power comes. Nothing can
09:20escape out of me. It will come. But I have to do hard work. Hard work will definitely play
09:25and I am confident on that.
09:28Then why did you have to apologize for this?
09:30No. See, some of them, see, I don't want someone to be little bit, create nuisance and
09:37all. My ego is not important. Ego is not important. So, okay, let all of them be happy. They feel
09:43their doubt. They create conspiracy. And the biggest enemy is the media again. They will
09:48try to, see, I just tried to point it out. I was pulling the BJP like, what do you know,
09:53BJP? I know better BJP than you, I said. Because I have studied. I have studied everything.
09:58I have studied Chani Kenethi. I have studied Mahabharata. I have studied Ramayana. I have
10:04studied various issues in political angle. I know about Baswana. I know about Allama Prabhu.
10:09And all things I have studied because it is very much needed. Though I was not a well-educated
10:14man, in the later I thought that at the young age I went. I have been in the assembly last
10:19eight terms. Eight terms I am there. I have to know things. No.
10:23But, therefore, are you blaming the media for creating this constant Siddharamaya versus
10:29Shiv Kumar battle? Of course, otherwise they will not have any other news, no? They have
10:34to play and sing. They have to create themselves. No, but the MLA's themselves openly come and
10:38say we want Shiv Kumar as CM. Someone says no, we want Siddharamaya as CM.
10:43And it's all there. Some of them will have likings. What to do? Some like, some doesn't dislike.
10:49Is there the big problem in the Congress? Too many factions? No faction. There is only
10:54one faction. That is the Indian National Congress faction.
10:59I want to put one more national question to you. Dharamstala. Dharamstala, when what happened
11:06in Dharamstala, there was this entire controversy created of 17 burial sites. The temple was being
11:14attacked. There were charges being made. Now it turns out that this could be a big hoax.
11:19A conspiracy is what the opposition is saying to discredit the temple. What is your view?
11:26Do you believe that this whole Dharamstala controversy was created, manufactured?
11:31See, my high command asked me, one of them. I don't want to disclose the name of my high
11:37command. One day when I was traveling, they asked me about this question. I said, you don't
11:43involve. This is all hope. It is all bogus. Let Congress party, any point of night, interfere
11:53because I know Dharamstala well. It is a internal squabbling between the BJP and the RSS. Hindu.
12:04Dharamstala is an internal squabble between BJP and RSS. Yes. I am on record. I am on record.
12:11100% I am record. If you want, I will give the documentation. I will give the statements.
12:18I will give the speeches of then the BJP president, the BJP ministers of the district and the Hindu
12:26Parishat, the RSS leaders, all of them. Okay. All I am telling you, this on record on a national
12:36channel. You have an SIT, then the SIT should expose this. Of course, it will do. It is on
12:42the job. We will have to do. We have to share to the country. This is not a Dharamstala
12:48problem. It has become a national problem. It is the belief. See, I know Viran Rayegade
12:56and Dharamstala. That is, it is on faith. People believe of that. There is a court. Still the
13:03court is running there. Okay. You are making a very important claim. You are claiming that
13:10this is an internal battle between the BJP and RSS, which is reflected in Dharamstala.
13:15See, none of, Radhi, none of them, they wanted this to happen. They thought that something
13:22will come out. None of them, till I said in the assembly floor of the house that there
13:27is a big conspiracy. No one opened their mouth. Now everyone is trying to take the claim of
13:33it. They are trying. Again, a group goes there to do politics and they go to someone XYZ house.
13:40Okay. Let's turn to today's topic, which is Bengaluru. Because Bengaluru is seen, Mr.
13:47Shiv Kumar, as the IT capital. You are in charge of Bengaluru's development. I want to start by
13:52putting a figure on the top about two issues that Bangalurians always complain about. One is
13:58potholes, one is traffic. Let's take a look at these numbers because these are two issues which
14:04have troubled Bengaluru. We want to start with potholes and we want to look at what has happened
14:10in Bengaluru when it comes to traffic. Now you look at the first at the potholes. You have spent a lot
14:17of money, but a number of projects are still work pending. A lot of the projects are work pending,
14:24but your repair costs have gone up from 7 crores to 12.25 crores. Annual repair costs is about 45 crores,
14:32but 1,974 work is still pending. That is potholes. Then we come to traffic, sir. If you go across the
14:40country, where will I get traffic in the, how can I travel from point A to point B across big cities?
14:46Bangaluru, sir, is not rated among the highest cities. If you look at the cities, Delhi, it is
14:53much easier for me to travel from point A to point B compared to a Bangaluru. I'll put that number up
15:00in a moment. Take a look at that. In New Delhi, it takes me 23 minutes, 24 seconds per 10 kilometers.
15:06In Bangalore, it takes 34 minutes. Many will say even that is giving Bangalore a lot of credit.
15:11I want you to tell me today, do you agree that this is your biggest challenge?
15:14How do I make a world-class city without proper traffic? How do you do that? A world-class city
15:22cannot have so many potholes, sir. I agree with you. Your numbers also are not right.
15:29According to me, we are more than 10,000 potholes. More than 10,000 potholes? Yes, yes. Of course,
15:36see, now looking at, you have got the, some whole numbers you might have got. I have come out with a
15:43concept that I was a citizen who oversees a pothole. Let them make a small video and send
15:50it to the corporation. I think last month we cleared about 5,000. How many? 5,000.
15:57You cleared 5,000 potholes? Yes, yes. Still 5,000 are there. Still 5,000 are there. I should not tell
16:06this because someday already I have come out in the media also this number. Still we have more than
16:115,000 plus potholes. Now that is why I have looked at this is management is very risky. Bangalore is not
16:19a planned city. Even I have seen in Delhi also. The major roads, main roads may be okay. Main roads
16:26may be okay. But internal roads still has problem even in Delhi or any part of the country.
16:33Bangalore is not a planned city as New Delhi is there. Even if you go to the outer Delhi,
16:40the older Delhi, worse than this. Any part of this one. But I don't want to compare with other cities.
16:48We have to do our job right. We have to do. I am planning it out. It is not one day solution.
16:55I am to see that the entire Bangalore will be covered with a white topping of this concrete roads.
17:02Almost 60% we have tried to cover all the major roads as on today. It is costing about 13 to 14
17:10kilo cross a kilometer. 30 years minimum will have the it will it will be stronger 30 years.
17:20You will take 30 years to do this. No, no, no. I am telling you this white tapping roads which
17:25you are doing a concrete roads already about more than 300 kilometers. We have done this major roads.
17:31I am telling you on the major roads. It is a very big challenge which we have taken. And as for the
17:37traffic is concerned, of course, I agree. Earlier I was a minister when Krishna's government was there,
17:43Urban Development Minister. The population was 67 lakhs. Now the population is 1.4 crores.
17:50Every day 70 lakh people come to Bangalore like you and so many other visitors come to Bangalore from across
17:58Karnataka and different part of the day. So the population every day will be more than 2.2 crores
18:06every day living in Bangalore, coming, going and out. It is a very big responsibility and a challenge
18:13on the mobility plan. BJP government, whenever they had an opportunity, they could not do anything.
18:19They have not supported. Central government has not supported. I have requested the Honorable
18:24Prime Minister a number of times. They have not supported at any point of time. But still,
18:29I don't mind whether they support or not. It is our prime duty we are looking at. I am coming out with a
18:36new Bangalore business corridor road of 100 kilometers, 67 kilometers in one side, 40 kilometers in
18:45one side, around Bangalore, within the city itself. When will that be ready?
18:50That will start, I am telling you. Within this year, it will start. With the next 78 months,
18:55it will start. Already notification has been done. Today, there is a Bangalore Development Authority
19:01meeting. They are taking a major decision. I have given them the guideline, what has to be done.
19:06Twenty-six, it has been notified. From that day, any government could not take any decision.
19:13I thought that I have been here in Bangalore. Last, I think, four or five years, I was not in
19:19Bangalore at my younger days. Rest, I came to school to Bangalore. From that day, I have been here. I thought that
19:26I should contribute something to the state and I have decided this 90, 100 kilometer that
19:32business, the Bangalore business corridor should come to existence and I have started that. So,
19:37Bangalore business corridor will start this year. You are also planning, you have put out tenders for
19:43an underground tunnel. Tunnel for 40 kilometer. First stage, 17 kilometers. Second stage, 23 kilometers.
19:51Already floated the tender. Time frame? Time frame, I'll do it. It takes three, three and a half years.
19:57Because, coming out with the tunnel boring machines, because it is 14 and a half meters
20:02dia. It is not a small dia. At least, three vehicles has to go in one side, three vehicles has to come,
20:09six vehicles has to pass. That is the size of the tunnel which we are looking. Because China,
20:14we are not allowing the China machines to come to India. That has to be only supplied to other
20:19part of the world. So, it takes time. Otherwise, I would have started by this time.
20:23But you are saying you are going to do all this. What about existing projects? For example, flyovers.
20:27Number of the flyover projects have not met their deadlines.
20:30Yes, yes. Already, I have planned for 113 kilometers of flyover number one. One more,
20:36the biggest decision I have taken in Bangalore is that along with the metro, 44 kilometers of
20:43double-decker. There will be a flyover, then there will be a metro on that. I just showed to the
20:48Prime Minister also, trial I have done for six kilometers. 44, that is, will be the biggest in
20:55the country, taking 44 kilometers, double-decker in Bangalore. I know what Bangalore is, what world
21:03is looking at Bangalore, what India is looking at Bangalore, what all of you are looking at Bangalore.
21:08We want to separate this thing. People of this country has given us, state has given us a big
21:13responsibility and we will deliver it. No, no. When you say deliver, give me a time frame.
21:18All of these projects, many of them are pending. You will come to the conclave. I will do this,
21:22do that. I want a deadline. By 2028, before the next election in Karnataka, will at least 50% of what
21:29you are saying be complete? Of course, 100% will be. 50% will be. We will start it. It is not one year,
21:35two year, two year project. Minimum it will take, any project will take three to four years.
21:39There are a lot of financial constraints. But I am telling you, after I took over more than
21:451 crore 25 lakh crore, 1.25, 1,25, is totally is the first time we are investing for Bangalore
21:57in the next three, four years. With a lot of financial constraints, though we have given these
22:03five guarantees, we have managed. My chief minister, my government has been committed to it.
22:08We have taken loans from the Woodco and various other places, more than about 75,000 crores loan.
22:14We have already tied up and we will see that it has been executed. You see, because you mentioned
22:19financial constraints, one of the big challenges is your government came with a Karnataka model with
22:24various guarantees. Much of your money seems to be going into the guarantees and therefore you don't
22:28have enough money for all these infrastructure projects. CAG has just flagged off concerns over
22:34Karnataka's financial health that many of these programs, even in your assembly show, account for
22:4115 percent of your revenue expenditure. How will Karnataka find the money for all these projects?
22:47See, Karnataka budget 4.8 lakh crores. Financially, we are strong still today. Though we are giving 56,000 crores for guarantee,
23:01why we wanted to give you this guarantee? Because of the price rise. Common man could not survive. The price rise was the peak.
23:09Whatever he was getting, his income was very less. He could not maintain. So very common man, for more than 1.21 lakh, 1.21 crores, 1 crore 21 lakh. Women, they are getting 2,000 rupees every month.
23:2710 kgs of rice. All women in this state are travelling free as far as the state is concerned. All the youths who have passed degree, they are getting 3,000 rupees. It touches about 56,000 crores.
23:49The economy of every common individual is coming to the country. Now, almost within the last two years, we have given 100 crores to the common man. Their employment, not only are you looking at it, their financial strength has improved. That is how the GDP of Karnataka has gone up.
24:08BJP says these are freebies. You are throwing freebies, you are throwing money at people.
24:14I thank them. I welcome them for their comment. After telling us, why did they start in Maharashtra? Why did they start in Madhya Pradesh? Why did they start in Haryana? Why did they start in other states? Even the Prime Minister said that we are going to finish our state.
24:34They followed us. Karnataka signed the model in the country. Without freebie, without economically making them sound, even they can't come to power. They are looking at it.
24:46They knew that they have failed because the price is a common man. A small oil was rupees, 90 rupees. Now it has gone to 220 rupees.
24:55Petrol, petrol, petrol, diesel price has gone to 120. Cement has gone so high. The gas from 440, it has went to 1100. How can a common man live? That is why to support a common man, forget the other things, we are giving 50,000.
25:09But still, for the infrastructure, we are investing more than 1.4, 1.5 lakh crore on this investment.
25:16So, what you are saying is the Karnataka model is a model of providing welfare to the poor and you are claiming what Karnataka thinks today, other states are thinking tomorrow. Am I correct?
25:28Of course.
25:28What you all said in 2023, other states are copying you.
25:33Copying me, we are the model and we will execute and we will deliver.
25:36If all is so well, then I ask you, Mr. Shiv Kumar, do you really believe that the Congress can return to power in Karnataka in 20th?
25:51Because Karnataka has seen every five years government changing. Over the last 25 years, governments have changed every five years.
25:58Do you really believe that the people of Karnataka are still trusting the Congress party?
26:04See, in politics, nothing is permanent.
26:10Nothing is permanent?
26:11Nothing is permanent.
26:13See, people of Karnataka are very matured people.
26:18You see, at the time of Ram Krishna Gade, there was a big, in the parliament election, when Rajiv Gandhi came to power, he took a decision, he dissolved for a clear mandate.
26:31The party helped him. He ruled for seven, eight years. Two terms, he was there.
26:36They were rajas.
26:38Again, he did it.
26:39I am sure, the way we are working, people have confidence with us.
26:45On the state, you take it from me, 2028, you will have a Congress government.
26:512028, Congress government, what about 2029, Lok Sabha?
26:57Because last time in Karnataka in 2024, BJP got more seats than the Congress in Karnataka.
27:02You were reduced to single digits.
27:05Are we very clear that people want Narendra Modi as Prime Minister, BJP at power in the center, Congress may be in the state?
27:11See, sun will rise and sun will set.
27:16There is a time for everyone, the era of everyone.
27:20I think, Narendra Modi, I don't want to talk much on national politics on this issue, but I am very confident, Rahul Gandhi will be the next Prime Minister of this country in 2029.
27:34You are telling me that Rahul Gandhi will be the Prime Minister of the country in 2029.
27:41Are you saying the Congress Party will form a government in 2029?
27:45Because I have been hearing this for the last 10 years, every time Narendra Modi comes back to power at the center.
27:50It is not for me.
27:52The country needed a change.
27:54Country needed a change.
27:57What is happening?
27:58You don't have any friends around this country.
28:01Within the country, country needs.
28:06I don't want to debate on that.
28:08I have come here to discuss on Bangalore and Karnataka.
28:11You have come to discuss on Bangalore and Karnataka, but you are seen as a national figure.
28:15You know, your party, in fact, the general feeling was that D.K. Shiv Kumar can be the Chanakya of the Congress who can take on Amit Shah of the BJP.
28:24No, I don't want to compare to anyone.
28:26I am D.K. Shiv Kumar myself.
28:28That's all.
28:28You don't want to compare yourself to Amit Shah or anyone?
28:32No, no, no, no.
28:34They are big people.
28:35We are small people in the state.
28:38But, sir, whenever the Congress is in a crisis, they seem to dial you.
28:41I remember Himachal Pradesh, Rajasabha election dialed D.K. Shiv Kumar.
28:46Some problem in some other state dialed D.K. Shiv Kumar.
28:49The impression is you are the crisis manager.
28:52Your critics say you are the money bags.
28:54Either way, somewhere D.K. Shiv Kumar's reputation is that, that he can, Sam, Dam, Dandabed, he will get the job done.
29:01See, that started at the time of Vilasarad Dashmukh election.
29:07Then it went to Maharashtra.
29:09Then it went to some other states and all.
29:13They trust what Gandhi family and the Congress party leaders impose.
29:17I think we have to do as a party leader leaders, we have to do our job.
29:23I go and do my job quietly and I come back.
29:27That's all.
29:27Okay, we are coming to the end.
29:29I want to know on a personal level.
29:31We know D.K. Shiv Kumar, the politician.
29:34What do you do when you are not playing politics?
29:37Are you 24 by 7 doing politics?
29:39How do you relax?
29:40I know you are going to a temple.
29:41You have come to Coimbatore.
29:42You are taking your wife to a temple.
29:44You are a very religious man.
29:45That also gets you into trouble.
29:47People say, oh, D.K. Shiv Kumar was seen with Amit Shah at some Isha Foundation function.
29:52D.K. Shiv Kumar is going to a temple.
29:54While you went to the Kumbh Mela, you praised Yogi Adityanath for arrangements.
29:59You are a deeply religious man.
30:01Am I correct?
30:01Of course.
30:03See, my name is D.K. Shiv Kumar.
30:06Shiva. Kumar.
30:08Can I change my name?
30:11See, here, Chief Minister Mr. Stalin is here.
30:15I think even his father said that we don't believe in God and anything we have.
30:21But in this state, how many temples?
30:26How can Tamil Nadu survive without temples and religion?
30:29It is not possible.
30:31This is India with culture, tradition, emotion, bondage.
30:36So, that is how the country is united with multi-language, multi-dimensions.
30:42So, we have a different demography.
30:45And there is a difference between being a Hindu and Hindutva.
30:49See, it is our own belief.
30:51See, I, being a Hindu, I respect all religion.
30:56It is their faith.
30:57See, I can't stop Hindu, some Christians or minority leaders coming to a Hindu temple.
31:05They can.
31:07We go to mass, we go to churches, we go to gurudwaras.
31:11Lot of, they pray Chamundeshwari.
31:14They pray this one.
31:15It is their belief.
31:17Any government in the country still tells that you can't go to Raman there or you can't go to Chamundi temple.
31:23It is not.
31:24It is their own belief.
31:26It is the father and the mother who have decided which religion.
31:29Ultimately, some may be a Muslim, some may be a Hindu.
31:32They are married and it is the child who decides which religion he has to adopt.
31:37Before the birth and death, see, even if I tell that I don't believe in religion,
31:42they put our earring, they name us, they call it as Namkarana, naming Sarmani,
31:51then thread will happen.
31:52When someone make you to, at last when you die, whether you burn or you to keep you inside the soil,
32:00that is being decided by the religion.
32:02So, you are a proud Hindu, but you will accommodate every other religion, live and let live,
32:07tolerance and mutual respect.
32:09Yes, yes, yes, yes.
32:10It is their belief.
32:11Some love Buddhism, some love Jainism, some love the hard work of Jainism, Christianity.
32:18I respect everyone.
32:20We have to live in this country with a lot of different dimensions.
32:25I think that is, you know, very, to hear a politician speak like this is very, very,
32:30in a way, commendable in the times in which we live.
32:35But what do you do?
32:36One day, one day, one day I am telling you, I remember 25, 30 years back, I met Sonia Gandhi
32:41at the time of Ugadi festival.
32:45Ugadi.
32:46Ugadi.
32:46I met her one day, I met her one day, after she became the president, myself and three
32:51of the, they were festival, in their house they were doing Ugadi.
32:56In Karnataka there was Ugadi festival.
32:58I said in our village Ugadi festival is there, myself, my wife, my young daughter, we had gone
33:03to meet her.
33:04In their house also they were doing Ugadi festival.
33:09They said in Kashmir and there, they are also doing festival.
33:12She came to, at Bharat Jodha Yatra time, she came to Mysore.
33:19Dasara time.
33:20She went to a Durga temple.
33:22She just took a small MLA, local MLA and without informing anyone, she went to a Durga temple.
33:30She prayed there at the time of Dasara.
33:32She came, went back to her room.
33:34Because there is a controversy in Karnataka.
33:36Banu Mushtaq has been invited for the Chamundeshwari, to the Chamundeshwari temple during Dasara.
33:41BJP, BJP, they are just saying politics.
33:43They don't have anything to do, no.
33:45They can't bring one rupee to Karnataka.
33:47No MPs were raising their voice.
33:50They have not supported anything.
33:52They could not bring, take any single decision to be helped Karnataka.
33:59My final question, how do you relax?
34:01No final, do 100, I am there to answer to you.
34:05How does DK Shiv Kumar relax?
34:10You see, all you politicians, as I said, 24 by 7, how do you relax?
34:15How do you, when you are away from the noise of politics, what is your best form of relaxation?
34:22Only I don't have time to relax also.
34:28Only few minutes I spend with my children.
34:31Few minutes, not hours together.
34:34Few minutes with my wife.
34:36That is my time.
34:38All other time is for the public.
34:40Well, Mr. DK Shiv Kumar, what can I say?
34:45You spend a lot of time with the public, which is why we have had so many people come to watch you here today.
34:52The rest of the time, you are a family man.
34:56I wish you well.
34:57As I said, if this conclave is held a couple of months later again in Bengaluru, who knows?
35:03We may have to change your designation and give you a new designation, but that is also part of life, I guess.
35:10But always a pleasure talking to you.
35:14And particularly because you have given us today, I think, a sense of who the real DK Shiv Kumar is.
35:19A joy.
35:20You are looking at your notes.
35:22Have you forgotten something?
35:23No, not forgotten something.
35:25What I would like to tell all of you, because you are an important media house.
35:32See, you all believe in Bangalore.
35:36All believe in?
35:37Bangalore.
35:37Yes.
35:38The country believes in Bangalore.
35:41The world is seeing India through Bangalore.
35:45Even the Prime Minister, Atal B. Arvajpayee, maybe even Modi, they are looking at Bangalore.
35:49Because economically, we are helping the country.
35:53Highest revenue we are giving to the country.
35:56Talented police there.
35:5925 lakh engineers, IT professionals are working.
36:03And huge FDI flows also into Bangalore.
36:05Bangalore.
36:062 lakh foreigners are there working in this sector.
36:11So, let us not go to a negative angle, looking at these patrols, looking at this traffic, all these things.
36:21It is a great city with good weather, culture and the talent put and with health.
36:26You have brought Mr. Pai, Manipal group here.
36:29So, everything is there.
36:31Whatever in the world is the best available in there.
36:34So, let us all join together.
36:36You should also support.
36:38Don't look at only the black spot.
36:40Let us look only your face, not look at your back.
36:44Make Bangalore and the country proud.
36:46I want you to help this.
36:49Okay.
36:50I want to leave you therefore with a good thought.
36:53I grew up in Mumbai.
36:55My professional life is in Delhi.
36:57But I was asked the other day by someone, is there a city you would like to retire?
37:02And I said, Bengaluru.
37:03So, sir, please build a new Bengaluru close to the airport.
37:06And who knows, I might be closer to you than I am today here in Coimbatore.
37:11Already I am planning for a new city, a greater Bangalore initiative has been taken up.
37:18A new city will be coming to the south of Bangalore.
37:22It will help all of you.
37:24Please come.
37:24I will give you a place for you.
37:25Okay.
37:26You have given me an idea for my retirement hope.
37:29But for now, DK Shiv Kumar for speaking to us so candidly, openly, your vision for Bengaluru
37:35and all the possibilities that exist in Karnataka and beyond.
37:40Ladies and gentlemen, please give a big hand to the Deputy Chief Minister and Senior Minister
37:44and Leader of the Congress, DK Shiv Kumar.
37:46Thank you very much.
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