After DKS’s ‘sting op’ warning, ministers allege plot to weaken govt; BJP hits back
After Shivakumar's warning, Congress leaders allege a bid to topple the Karnataka government through sting ops; BJP says Congress perfected the tactic
Bengaluru, Oct 8 (PTI) Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara and state Home Minister Priyank Kharge on Thursday backed Chief Minister D K Shivakumar’s warning to his Cabinet colleagues to remain vigilant against possible sting operations.
While Parameshwara said the possibility of a conspiracy could not be ruled out, Kharge alleged that attempts were being made to destabilise the Congress government in Karnataka.
The remarks came days after Shivakumar advised his ministers during a Cabinet meeting to exercise caution amid concerns over possible sting operations targeting them.
The BJP, however, hit back, with state president B Y Vijayendra accusing the Congress of "having a history of such operations".
“Perhaps the Chief Minister has received information that some people or agencies are planning to conduct sting operations. That's why he has cautioned everyone to remain vigilant and exercise caution while carrying out their duties. It is possible. I am not ruling it out. There could be a conspiracy, and I am not ruling that out either,” Parameshwara told reporters here.
Parameshwara, who had served as Home Minister for eight years, said intelligence reports were routinely received by the CM, who was briefed on whom to inform and what needed to be conveyed.
Kharge claimed that inputs received by the government indicated attempts by certain people, including those from the IT department or the central government, to destabilise the state government.
“The Centre is desperate to dislodge the government in Karnataka,” Kharge said.
Kharge also dismissed allegations that Shivakumar himself was behind any such operation, calling them “baseless” and saying there was “no truth in them”.
He alleged that similar operations involving the IT department, ED and CBI, besides sting operations, had taken place in Maharashtra, Assam, Goa, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, and urged everyone to remain vigilant.
Vijayendra, however, turned the allegations against the Congress, referring to the case involving BJP MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi, who was allegedly honeytrapped.
“If you ask Congress MLAs who carried out sting operations—what I would call ‘ding-ding operations’—against their own party’s MLAs and ministers and got them removed from power, they themselves will tell you,” he said.
Pointing to the Jarkiholi case, Vijayendra asked who had carried out the sting operation, protected Jarkiholi, represented him as a lawyer and subsequently appointed that lawyer as an Additional Advocate General.
“The reputation for engaging in conspiracies, intrigues, plots, sting operations and what I call ‘ding-ding operations’ belongs to those who are at the helm of affairs in this state,” he said.
“If you want to know who they are, ask the Congress MLAs. They will tell you—it was members of their own party,” Vijayendra added. PTI