'Do not pay a single rupee’: HD Kumaraswamy calls B-Khata to A-Khata conversion daylight robbery

Kumaraswamy urged Bengaluru residents not to pay for Khata conversions. He criticized the government's scheme as a cruel joke.

The political war of words between Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy and Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar escalated on Saturday, centering on the Congress government’s B-Khata to A-Khata conversion scheme.

Speaking at a press conference, Kumaraswamy made an open appeal to Bengaluru residents.

Kumaraswamy described the initiative as a “bogus exercise” and branded it “daylight robbery in the guise of reform”, urging citizens not to pay any money towards the Khata conversion.

Speaking at a press conference, Kumaraswamy made an open appeal to Bengaluru residents,“Do not pay a single rupee for this.”

Predicting that a JD(S)–BJP alliance would form the government within two years, he claimed that Khata conversions would later be implemented “at minimal cost”, calling the government’s description of the scheme as a “Deepavali gift” a cruel joke.

He argued that the Khata issue had existed since 1995 and that fresh charges were unjustified, especially when citizens were already burdened by inflation and loan repayments.

Kumaraswamy also counterattacked Shivakumar, who had earlier challenged him to an open debate. Highlighting his own achievements as a former Chief Minister, he claimed that while he had planned multiple reforms, the current Congress-led dispensation had “pulled down” his government. He also criticized Shivakumar personally, stating that he “is not even fit for a debate” and that the present administration could not even fix a pothole. He added that he had sanctioned 4,500 electric buses for Bengaluru and proposed several projects for the state.

In response, Deputy CM Shivakumar challenged Kumaraswamy to an open debate with documents in hand, accusing him of making baseless allegations. “What corruption is happening in B-Khata transfer? This is being done to benefit people. Currently, people do not get loans for B-Khata properties. Rectifying property documents is the 6th guarantee of our government,” he said, according to The Hindu.

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