Congress seeks probe into phone-tapping allegations
The Hindu
BANGALORE, May 26: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president R.V. Deshpande and working president D.K. Shivakumar have demanded an inquiry into the alleged tapping of telephones of Minister for Housing S.N. Krishnaiah Setty and termed it a threat to democracy.
Speaking to presspersons here on Monday, Deshpande said although Home Minister V.S. Acharya had denied the allegation, he would not be in a position to know since he was not empowered to order tapping of telephones. The Intelligence Wing in the Police Department worked under the direct control of the Chief Minister, he said.
‘Clear the air’
Deshpande urged Yeddyurappa to clear the air. Going a step further, Shivakumar demanded the resignation of Setty as well as those of Law Minister S. Suresh Kumar and Deputy Chairman of the State Planning Board D.H. Shankaramurthy, who had reportedly criticised the telephone tapping, if the Chief Minister did not have confidence in them. Or else, Yeddyurappa should resign.
Shivakumar recalled that Ramakrishna Hegde had resigned as Chief owning moral responsibility for the tapping of telephones. Making it clear that the Congress would not force BJP MLAs to defect, he said the Congress could not help it if the Yeddyurappa Government collapsed on its own.
Deshpande advised Yeddyurappa to stop accusing the United Progressive Alliance Government led by Manmohan Singh of discriminating against Karnataka. Instead, he should cooperate with the Centre for the development of the State. The UPA had released more funds to the State than the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance rule, he said.
On the BJP’s plan to celebrate the first anniversary of its Government in the State, he said the ruling party should meet the expenditure for the celebrations. “There is nothing for it to celebrate. Instead, there are negative points such as collapse of law and order, moral policing, engineering defections, attacks on minorities and a bankrupt treasury as admitted by the Chief Minister.”
BBMP polls
Both the leaders urged the Chief Minister to hold elections to the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike, but expressed doubts whether it would be held before July 31 as ordered by the High Court. They urged that seeds and fertilizers be made available to farmers and demanded a legislature session to discussing many important issues.
‘Baseless’
Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa on Monday refuted the Congress charge that he had ordered surveillance on some of his ministerial colleagues and termed it “baseless”.
Speaking to presspersons after the launch of various developmental works of the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) here, Yeddyurappa said the allegation made by the Congress was false.
“No Minister is under intelligence surveillance. An incident of taking a photograph of Housing Minister S.N. Krishnaiah Shetty should not be given that much importance,” he said
Asked about reshuffling his year-old Ministry, the Chief Minister said it was under consideration and he was holding talks with senior leaders. However, no date had been fixed for the reshuffle, he said.