Kumaraswamy denies phone-tapping charge; BJP pushes for a probe
H Vishwanath had earlier alleged phone tapping of officials and journalists in HDK Government
Bengaluru, Aug 14: Former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Wednesday denied allegations of phone tapping during his tenure, even as the BJP raised the pitch demanding a comprehensive probe into it.
"There was no need for me to intercept phone calls to save my government when I have been saying repeatedly the post of chief minister is not forever.
Allegations against me by some people is far from truth," Kumaraswamy tweeted.
As the matter snowballed into a major controversy, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa told reporters, "I am observing the developments. I will discuss with the Chief Secretary (T M Vijay Bhaskar) and think about further action."
On Wednesday, disqualified JD(S) MLA from Hunsur, A H Vishwanath who had served as the JDS state president and turned rebel later,accused the previous government of tapping phones and spying on more than 300 leaders including him.
"My phone was tapped. I was among the 300 people whose phones were tapped," Vishwanath told PTI.
Vishwanath went on to claim that the matter in fact had come to light six months ago when the Congress MLA H K Patil and BJP MLA R Ashoka had alleged that their phone calls were intercepted.
"It had actually started since then. They (the previous Congress-JDS coalition government) did not spare even some clerks," Vishwanath added, referring to the alleged phone tapping of some politicians, journalists and officials.
Vishwanath had rebelled against the JDS leadership, resigned from the post of state president and then from the Assembly.
He aligned with the disgruntled Congress and JDS MLAs camped in Mumbai, who were later disqualified but were responsible for the fall of the then Kumaraswamy-led government, which was reduced to a minority in the truncated Assembly.
He was among the 17 MLAs whom the then Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar had disqualified from the assembly.
Union minister D V Sadananda Gowda on Wednesday demanded a comprehensive probe into the alleged phone tapping.
"It is a big criminal offence. It should be investigated thoroughly. However big the persons involved in this should face action," he said, adding some "information" was now available.
Padmanabhanagar BJP MLA Ashoka said he had given a statement six months ago that his phone was tapped. However, the then government trashed his charges, he added.
Bengaluru police commissioner Bhaskar Rao earlier this month ordered an inquiry into the phone tapping incident against the backdrop of a recently leaked telephone conversation purportedly between him and someone in Delhi lobbying on his behalf with some Congress heavyweights for the post he is occupying now.
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Criticism of PM Modi, repeated mentions of guarantees to be highlights of K’taka Budget: LoP Ashoka
Bengaluru (PTI): Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka on Thursday took a dig at CM Siddaramaiah ahead of the state Budget presentation, claiming that the government is expected to borrow Rs 1.15 lakh crore and is likely to impose fresh taxes on the people.
He said the Budget would have nothing new, adding that its highlights would be criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and repeated mentions of the five guarantee schemes ('Shakti', 'Gruha Lakshmi', 'Gruha Jyoti, 'Yuva Nidhi' and 'Anna Bhagya').
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who also holds the Finance portfolio, is scheduled to present the 2026–27 Budget on March 6. This will be his record 17th budget.
“Siddaramaiah-led Congress government’s budget will be presented tomorrow. While Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman reduced the tax burden in the Union Budget, Siddaramaiah is known for imposing taxes on people. He imposes about four taxes a month and has already introduced 36 taxes, and is now looking for ways to impose more,” Ashoka said.
Speaking to reporters, he said the Congress had promised people before coming to power that the guarantee schemes would be implemented without imposing any burden on them.
“By the end of the chief minister’s term, the state’s total debt will probably exceed Rs 6 lakh crore. The government has already breached financial discipline. Siddaramaiah and his government are somehow managing the situation,” Ashoka claimed, adding that his borrowings as CM equal those of 12 or 13 former chief ministers combined.
Stating that the Budget should create higher revenue sources, ensure that no burden is placed on people, and take the state away from debt, the opposition leader said this could be ensured only by a “clever and intelligent finance minister.”
“Anyone can run a government by pushing the state into debt,” he said, accusing Siddaramaiah of “increasing the state’s debt and failing to meet the expectations of the people.”
Highlighting that Siddaramaiah blames the previous BJP government for everything, Ashoka said Basavaraj Bommai, the chief minister during the previous BJP government, had presented a “surplus budget,” without excessive borrowings.
“Despite having the opportunity to borrow more while staying within the parameters of financial discipline, he (Bommai) did not do so, as it would burden the people,” he said, accusing Siddaramaiah of borrowing crores of rupees every year.
“I feel that this time too, he will take a loan of Rs 1.15 lakh crore,” he claimed.
The BJP leader said he had written to the CM requesting an allocation of Rs 15,000 crore annually for the development of backward taluks, as recommended by the High Power Committee on Redressal of Regional Imbalance (HPCRRI), chaired by economist Prof M Govinda Rao.
Claiming that the government appears “inactive” due to internal rifts, Ashoka pointed to an ongoing power struggle between factions led by Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar over the CM’s post.
“Amid all this, we cannot expect anything new from this Budget. The CM will repeatedly speak about the guarantee schemes and target the central government and PM Modi. Criticising Modi and repeated mentions of the five guarantee schemes will be the highlight of this Budget. Other than that, there will be nothing new,” he added.
He also dismissed the CM's claim that the government had achieved 90 per cent of the promises made in the previous Budget. “The fact is that not even 9 per cent has been achieved. I have evidence for it,” he said.
Ashoka further alleged that the government had also failed in tax collection, achieving only 48 per cent of the target, and had released less than 40 per cent of the allocated funds to some departments.
