Pralhad Joshi slams Shivakumar's 'jail' remark as sympathy bid over Bidadi row
Synopsis
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi has turned Karnataka CM D.K. Shivakumar's 'jail is not new for me' remark into a political liability, calling it a sympathy ploy while pressing unanswered questions about the Bidadi Township Project, farmer land acquisition, and sudden policy urgency under a government that previously showed no interest in the scheme.
Key Takeaways
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi called Karnataka CM D.K.
Shivakumar 's 'jail' remark a bid to 'gain sympathy' on Thursday, 17 July 2025 .
Shivakumar had said on Wednesday that 'jail is not new for me,' targeting H.D.
Kumaraswamy and former PM H.D.
Deve Gowda over the Bidadi Township Project .
Joshi accused the state government of issuing land acquisition notifications without consulting farmers.
He questioned why the Bidadi project became a priority under Shivakumar after Siddaramaiah showed no interest in it during his three-year tenure.
Joshi also asked Congress to disclose the whereabouts of Rahul Gandhi , who has reportedly been absent from public view for 25 days .
The Union Minister accused the Karnataka government of politicising the state's drought relief request to the Centre.
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Thursday, 17 July 2025, sharply rebuked Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar over his recent remarks about being sent to jail, calling them a calculated attempt to garner public sympathy amid the mounting controversy over the proposed Bidadi Township Project. Joshi made the remarks while addressing reporters in Bengaluru.
Background: What Shivakumar Said
On Wednesday, Chief Minister Shivakumar had declared, 'Jail is not new for me, and some people have not been able to digest the fact that I have become Chief Minister,' launching a pointed attack on Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and his father, former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, in the context of the Bidadi township dispute.
Joshi's Counterattack
'D.K. Shivakumar will not be sent to jail by anyone. If he goes to jail for any wrongdoing or corruption committed by him, nobody can prevent it. Why is he talking about jail now? Have you done something wrong? This appears to be an attempt to gain sympathy,' Joshi said.
The Union Minister also cautioned Shivakumar against overstepping his constitutional role. 'Being the Chief Minister does not make one a dictator or the king of the State. He must understand that and conduct himself accordingly,' Joshi added, urging the Chief Minister to respond directly to corruption allegations raised by H.D. Kumaraswamy.
Bidadi Township Project Under Fire
Joshi stepped up pressure on the state government over the proposed township, alleging that farmers were not consulted before land acquisition notifications were issued. 'Instead of taking away farmers' land and developing a township, the government should convince them. Why did the Chief Minister not speak to the farmers before issuing notifications? Many people offered suggestions, but why were they ignored?' he asked.
He also questioned the project's sudden urgency, noting that former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had shown no interest in the township during his three years in office. 'If Siddaramaiah did not show interest in the township during his three years as Chief Minister, why has it suddenly become a priority now? Does that indicate that some kind of deal has taken place?' Joshi asked. He alleged that Shivakumar had reacted with anger rather than answers to allegations from Deve Gowda. 'A person becomes agitated when he cannot justify his actions,' he remarked.
Joshi Questions Rahul Gandhi's Whereabouts
Widening his attack, Joshi questioned the absence of Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi from public view. 'The people of the country deserve to know where Rahul Gandhi has been for the last 25 days. Whenever we travel abroad, we disclose it publicly. Why doesn't Congress tell the people where Rahul Gandhi is and what he is doing?' he asked, noting that his own visit to Davos and Union Minister Kiren Rijiju's trip to Qatar had been publicly disclosed.
Drought Relief Row
Joshi also accused the Karnataka government of politicising the state's drought concerns and its letter to the Centre seeking relief assistance. He insisted the state should first conduct a proper assessment of rainfall and drought conditions before submitting its findings to the Centre, rather than turning the humanitarian issue into a political flashpoint.
With the Bidadi controversy deepening and the ruling Congress facing questions on multiple fronts, the political temperature in Karnataka is set to rise further in the coming days.
Point of View
The Bharatiya Janata Party converts a moment of bravado into a liability. The Bidadi Township Project is emerging as a serious pressure point: the question of why a scheme dormant under Siddaramaiah has suddenly become urgent under Shivakumar has not been answered publicly. If the government cannot demonstrate prior farmer consultation and a clean process, the political cost could extend well beyond this exchange. The drought relief row adds another front, suggesting the BJP's Karnataka strategy is to keep the Congress perpetually on defence across multiple issues simultaneously.
NationPress
16 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Pralhad Joshi criticise D.K. Shivakumar's 'jail' remark?
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said Shivakumar's statement — 'jail is not new for me' — was an attempt to gain public sympathy rather than a genuine response to political pressure. Joshi argued that if Shivakumar faces jail, it would only be as a consequence of wrongdoing, and that no one was specifically trying to send him there.
What is the Bidadi Township Project controversy?
The Bidadi Township Project is a proposed urban development initiative by the Karnataka government that has drawn sharp criticism over alleged forced land acquisition from farmers without prior consultation. Critics, including Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and former PM H.D. Deve Gowda, have raised corruption concerns, while Joshi questioned why the project became a sudden priority under CM Shivakumar after showing no traction under his predecessor.
What did Shivakumar say that triggered Joshi's response?
On Wednesday, Karnataka CM D.K. Shivakumar stated, 'Jail is not new for me, and some people have not been able to digest the fact that I have become Chief Minister,' while targeting H.D. Kumaraswamy and H.D. Deve Gowda over the Bidadi township dispute. Joshi responded the following day, calling the remark a sympathy-seeking exercise.
What did Joshi say about Rahul Gandhi?
Joshi asked Congress to publicly disclose the whereabouts of Rahul Gandhi, who has reportedly not been in public view for 25 days. He contrasted this with his own publicly disclosed trip to Davos and Union Minister Kiren Rijiju's trip to Qatar, arguing that public figures owe transparency to citizens.
What is Joshi's position on Karnataka's drought relief request?
Joshi accused the Karnataka government of politicising the drought issue, saying the state must first conduct a proper assessment of rainfall and drought conditions and submit verified findings to the Centre before seeking relief assistance.
