Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], October 15 (ANI): Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel and JDS State President H. D. Kumaraswamy on Thursday alleged that Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and journalist Rakesh Shetty had conspired to conduct a sting operation against former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, ultimately leading to his removal from office.
Speaking to the media, Kumaraswamy alleged that Siddaramaiah had fallen victim to a political conspiracy orchestrated by the Chief Minister and a journalist whom he accused of engaging in blackmail.
Kumaraswamy demanded the arrest of those allegedly involved in the conspiracy and said Shivakumar should be known as the “Sting Samrat of Karnataka”.
He alleged that a coordinated operation had been carried out to force Siddaramaiah out of the Chief Minister’s post and that the Congress high command had been misled in the process.
“The conspiracy was carefully planned and successfully executed to remove Siddaramaiah from the Chief Minister’s chair. The Congress high command was also misled by those behind it,” Kumaraswamy alleged.
The Union Minister further claimed that he was also targeted in an attempt to implicate him in the sting operation case.
According to him, there had been an alleged plan to bring the person behind the operation before the court to record a statement under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, with the intention of involving him in the case.
Kumaraswamy said he had earlier advised Siddaramaiah not to seek a stay from the court but to face the allegations with confidence.
He alleged that Home Minister Priyank Kharge had accelerated the investigation into the sting operation following directions from the Chief Minister. As part of this alleged effort, Kumaraswamy claimed that those responsible for the operation against Siddaramaiah were being brought in to make statements against him.
“I am not H. D. Revanna, to be easily trapped by such a conspiracy. I know how to counter these moves. That is why they have allegedly targeted a young worker from our party’s social media team and harassed him. They have also created ruckus in another worker’s residence. This is the result of the Home Minister’s excessive zeal,” Kumaraswamy alleged.
Kumaraswamy also alleged that the attempt to implicate him involved Shivakumar, Rakesh Shetty, Prashanth of Bagepalli, whom he described as Shetty’s associate, and Congress leader Krupa Alwa.
He questioned why the police were allegedly harassing JDS workers instead of taking action against the individuals he had named.
“The sting operation was not initiated by me. If the government believes that a crime has taken place, it should investigate those allegedly responsible rather than target our party workers,” he said.
Kumaraswamy also questioned how details of a Cabinet discussion on the sting operation had reached the media, arguing that Cabinet proceedings were expected to remain confidential.
He alleged that information from the file concerning the sting operation had been deliberately leaked to selected media outlets by people close to the Chief Minister.
According to Kumaraswamy, he had originally scheduled a press conference for 11 AM to release documents relating to alleged irregularities in the NICE project. However, because Prime Minister Narendra Modi was addressing the nation at the time, he postponed the press conference to noon and informed the media.
Kumaraswamy alleged that, just minutes before his press conference began, details of the Cabinet discussion about the sting operation were circulated to the media, shifting attention towards the allegations involving Siddaramaiah.
He claimed that the timing of the leak was intended to divert public attention from the documents he was preparing to release concerning NICE.
Kumaraswamy demanded an explanation from Shivakumar on why the file concerning the sting operation was brought before the Cabinet and to disclose its contents.
“The Chief Minister must tell the people why the file was taken to the Cabinet and what it contained. He has allowed confidential discussions concerning his own ministers to become a public spectacle through the media,” Kumaraswamy alleged.
He said the Chief Minister should understand the importance of Cabinet confidentiality and the protocol governing the treatment of ministers.
“The person occupying the Chief Minister’s office must know how to treat Cabinet colleagues and respect the dignity of Cabinet proceedings. Such standards appear to be missing,” he said.
Additionally, Kumaraswamy strongly objected to the police action involving two JDS social media workers, Shankar and Mohan.
He alleged that Shankar was taken from his residence on Wednesday morning. Subsequently, the party’s legal cell filed a complaint at the Annapoorneshwari Nagar Police Station, he said.
Kumaraswamy further alleged that Shankar was made to call the party and say that CCB police personnel had taken him away, after which the call was disconnected.
He also claimed that police personnel created a ruckus at the residence of another JDS social media worker, Mohan, later that night, inconveniencing residents of neighbouring houses.
The Union Minister condemned what he described as the intimidation of young party workers and demanded that the government follow due process.
“I am the State president of the JDS. If you have the courage, arrest me. I am sitting in my office even now. Serve me a notice and I will respond. If you intend to arrest me, come and take me into custody,” Kumaraswamy challenged the State government. (ANI)
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