Karnataka Congress chief Shivakumar says man he slapped is his relative

Seeking to downplay the slapping of a man, who allegedly put his arm around his neck, Karnataka Congress chief D K Shivakumar on Sunday said the person was his distant relative and he slapped him fearing what others would think of him.

Shivakumar, who is an MLA from Kanakapura, had come under sharp criticism for slapping the man during his visit to K M Doddi in Mandya on Friday to enquire about the health of a former minister G Made Gowda.

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"Yes, it's true that I hit him. He is known to us. He is also our distant relative. That's the bonding between us," Shivakumar clarified while talking to reporters near his Sadashivanagar residence in the city.

He said, "I objected to him saying what others will think when they see him put his hand on my shoulder." Defending his action, the former minister said it was a natural reaction of people when someone behaves irresponsibly.