Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel, H.D. Kumaraswamy, led a significant protest march in Bengaluru on Saturday, accompanied by hundreds of JD(S) workers. The demonstration converged on the office of Director General and Inspector General of Police M.A. Saleem, demanding immediate arrests and swift action regarding an ongoing sting operation controversy.
High drama unfolded as the procession reached the DG-IGP's premises. Police had erected barricades to manage the crowd, pushing protesters to a designated corner where they continued to chant slogans like 'We want justice.'
Following a meeting with State Police Chief Saleem, where a detailed memorandum was submitted, Kumaraswamy addressed reporters. He highlighted the participation of party MLAs and former MLAs, emphasizing their collective intent to draw attention to recent developments in Karnataka. The Union Minister explicitly accused the state government of deliberately ignoring the serious allegations at hand.
Kumaraswamy specifically questioned the alleged intent of the sting operation, which he suggested aimed to tarnish former chief minister and Congress Working Committee member Siddaramaiah's reputation. He pointed out that Siddaramaiah himself does not appear in the video, which reportedly features a discussion between two or three individuals. 'The media person in that video claims that he conducted the sting operation. But why was the video made in Siddaramaiah's name?' Kumaraswamy pressed, seeking clarity on the discussion's purpose and the circumstances of its recording.
He also referenced a woman depicted in the video, questioning the nature of remarks made concerning her and Siddaramaiah. 'The woman is asked how many hours she spent with Siddaramaiah in the video. Is Siddaramaiah's blood not boiling after seeing this?' Kumaraswamy reiterated, expressing disappointment over what he perceived as the former Chief Minister's inadequate response. He stressed that the issue transcended individual concerns, recalling their shared political history despite past rivalries.
Further criticizing the state's handling, Kumaraswamy questioned the disclosure of information about the alleged sting. He cited Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar's previous statement that similar operations had targeted several ministers, discussed in a Cabinet meeting and subsequently shared with the media. 'Why were such details leaked?' he inquired. The Union Minister also took aim at Home Minister Priyank Kharge's stance, suggesting the case merited immediate action and voicing doubts about the police's operational freedom in the matter. He highlighted the puzzling inaction against an individual linked to the controversy, against whom non-bailable warrants have reportedly been pending since 2013-14, sarcastically dismissing any notion of honouring such a person with the Karnataka Ratna award. The JD(S) now awaits a response to their memorandum within the coming days.
Image: mangalorean.com
📰 Source: Mangalorean News