Bengaluru:

Following the uproar over his “nuts and bolts” comment on Karnataka actors, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar stated on Tuesday that he is “not a God” and will rectify his comments, in case he has done anything wrong.

This comes after the Karnataka Deputy CM slammed the film fraternity at the inauguration of the Bengaluru International Film Festival, for low turnout of the actors and said he knows “how to tighten the nuts and bolts” of these actors.

“We may not be right and polished…let me rectify it. I am not God, so if I have done anything wrong, I will rectify it, but I am speaking in the best interest of the (film) industry. I am also from the industry…I have an interest in this industry,” DK Shivakumar told reporters here.

“We conducted the International Film Festival in Bengaluru, and next year, I am planning to organise IFFA (International Indian Film Academy Awards) in Bengaluru,” he added.

DK Shivakumar’s remarks drew a lot of flak from the Bharatiya Janata Party, which accused the Deputy CM of ‘threatening’ actors.

BJP leader CN Ashwath Narayan condemned the statement, and alleged that the Congress government in Karnataka is asking the artists to be part of the Congress campaign.

Speaking to ANI, Narayan said, “As a responsible govt, such a threatening statement by people in power, is not right…the Congress govt in Karnataka threatening, ‘we know how to tighten your bolts and nuts’, what do you mean by that? This kind of threat is not fair and advisable…we condemn the statement by Dy CM…ill-treating actors and Kannada film industry, asking them to be part of Congress campaign and their agenda, what kind of mindset Congress have?”

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