Kumaraswamy caught on camera abusing Karnataka Congress leader, apologises

Former chief minister of Karnataka and leader of Janata Dal Secular JD(S) H D Kumaraswamy drew the ire of the Congress after a video of him abusing Congress leader K R Ramesh Kumar went viral. 

Kumaraswamy  later apologised for using an expletive towards Ramesh Kumar, who served as the 16th Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, stating that he had no intention of hurting the Congress leader and that it was unlikely of him to abuse anyone.  

In a video shared on Twitter by the Karnataka wing of the Congress, Kumaraswamy can be seen boarding a car in the Srinivaspur assembly constituency, which Kumar represents, and using an expletive for the former Speaker while talking to one of his party workers.  

ರಾಜಕೀಯವನ್ನು ದ್ವೇಷದ ಆಧಾರದಲ್ಲಿ ಮಾಡಬಾರದು, ನಾವು ಬಳಸುವ ಪದಗಳು, ನಡವಳಿಕೆಗಳು ನಮ್ಮ ವ್ಯಕ್ತಿತ್ವದ ಕನ್ನಡಿಯಾಗಿರುತ್ತವೆ.@hd_kumaraswamy ಅವರೇ, ನಿಮ್ಮ ಈ ರೀತಿಯ ಪದಬಳಕೆ ನಿಮಗೂ ಶೋಭೆ ತರುವುದಿಲ್ಲ, ರಾಜಕೀಯದ ಘನತೆಯನ್ನೂ ಉಳಿಸುವುದಿಲ್ಲ.

ಪರಸ್ಪರ ಗೌರವ ಇಟ್ಟುಕೊಂಡೇ ರಾಜಕೀಯ ಮಾಡಬಹುದು ಎಂದು ಹಿರಿಯರು ತೋರಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ. pic.twitter.com/l4nM5fu4m7 — Karnataka Congress (@INCKarnataka) November 23, 2022

Sharing the video, the Karnataka Congress said, "Politics should not be done on the basis of hate, the words we use, behaviors are the mirror of our personality."

Tagging Kumaraswamy, the Karnataka Congress said, "Your use of words... will not bring glory to you, nor will it save the dignity of politics. Elders have shown that politics can be done with mutual respect."

The JD(S) leader was quick to respond and said, "The word I used for former Speaker Mr. Ramesh Kumar hurt me too. The use of that word is not my trademark, nor is it my personality. I am sorry if this word has hurt Ramesh Kumar or others."

ಮಾಜಿ ಸ್ಪೀಕರ್ ಶ್ರೀ ರಮೇಶ್ ಕುಮಾರ್ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ನಾನು ಬಳಸಿದೆ ಎನ್ನಲಾದ ಪದ ಸ್ವತಃ ನನಗೂ ನೋವುಂಟು ಮಾಡಿದೆ. ಆ ಪದ ಬಳಕೆ ನನ್ನ ಜಾಯಮಾನವಲ್ಲ, ನನ್ನ ವ್ಯಕ್ತಿತ್ವವೂ ಅಲ್ಲ. ಈ ಮಾತಿನಿಂದ ರಮೇಶ್ ಕುಮಾರ್ ಅವರಿಗಾಗಲಿ, ಇನ್ನಾರಿಗೆ ಆಗಲಿ ನೋವಾಗಿದ್ದರೆ ನನ್ನ ವಿಷಾದವಿದೆ. ಆ ಮಾತನ್ನು ಹಿಂಪಡೆಯುತ್ತೇನೆ.1/3 — ಹೆಚ್.ಡಿ.ಕುಮಾರಸ್ವಾಮಿ | H.D.Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) November 23, 2022

Kumaraswamy said he was sad to see the dilapidated condition of a school in Bangavadi village of Srinivaspur assembly constituency. "I was outraged to hear that the children were taking lessons at a stall for horses opposite the school since the last two to three years," said the former Karnataka chief minister.  

ನಿನ್ನೆಯ ದಿನ ಶ್ರೀನಿವಾಸಪುರ ವಿಧಾನಸಭೆ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರದ ಬಂಗವಾದಿ ಗ್ರಾಮದಲ್ಲಿ ಶಿಥಿಲಾವಸ್ಥೆಯಲ್ಲಿದ್ದ ಶಾಲೆ ಕಂಡು ನನಗೆ ಬಹಳ ಬೇಸರವಾಗಿತ್ತು. ಮಕ್ಕಳು 2-3 ವರ್ಷದಿಂದ ಎದುರಿನ ಅಶ್ವತ್ಥಕಟ್ಟೆ ಮೇಲೆ ಪಾಠ ಕೇಳುತ್ತಿದ್ದರು ಎಂದು ಕೇಳಿ ನನ್ನಲ್ಲಿ ಆಕ್ರೋಶ ಉಂಟಾಗಿತ್ತು. 2/3 — ಹೆಚ್.ಡಿ.ಕುಮಾರಸ್ವಾಮಿ | H.D.Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) November 23, 2022

Kumaraswamy said that the children's tears infuriated him and moved him to utter an abuse, which is otherwise unlikely of him. "I have spoken in the spirit of speaking and not to insult anyone," he said.