<p>MLC Dr Yathindra Siddaramaiah said, nobody has said that the ‘honey-trap’ is being done by leaders of a particular party and thus a comprehensive probe will bring out who is behind it.</p><p>Dr Yathindra, also son of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, said, if Minister Rajanna gives a complaint, the government will take action.</p><p>“Neither Rajanna nor his son have said that they have been ‘trapped’, but that there was an attempt. They have not said that leaders of a particular party have done the honey-trap. However, 17 BJP MLAs, including former chief minister Basavaraja Bommai, had brought an injunction from the court against publication of any of their explicit content. Then, there was an allegation that some BJP leaders had committed the honey-trap. They have no moral-right to speak on the issue. There would be a big network behind this,” he said.</p>.Karnataka honey-trapping | Rajanna's plea to be examined within framework of law: Minister G Parameshwara.<p><strong>‘Misuse of technology’</strong></p><p>“Many people make phone calls to politicians, including me, from across Karnataka. We may receive a call, even if we do not know the caller. There is a misuse of technology. Once we receive a call, we are sent objectionable content through artificial intelligence (AI). They have ulterior motives like blackmailing, extortion of money or getting some government work done. Thus, they should be punished. But, I do not know why the BJP is pointing at a particular person,” Dr Yathindra said.</p><p>In reply to a question, Dr Yathindra said, many BJP leaders have become victims of honey-trap. “This does that mean that they belong to the Siddaramaiah faction. The Congress high-command knows about the issue. The CM and the party leaders will further explain the issue to the high-command. Nobody has mentioned the name of Deputy CM D K Shivakumar,” he said.</p><p>Responding to a question, Dr Yathindra said, “I am not aware of the fact that the houses of ministers do not have CCTV cameras. I know that the CM’s house has CCTV cameras, as I live there. Whoever visits, it is recorded. Besides, there is Police security. Houses of all ministers should be fitted with CCTV cameras, to keep a watch on those involved in honey-trapping”.</p><p><strong>Phone-tapping</strong></p><p>In response to another question, Dr Yathindra said, there is an allegation that the Centre is involved in phone-tapping. “There has been no probe into the allegation that the Centre has paid huge amounts to Israel, to procure <em>Pegasus</em> spyware to tap the phones of the leaders of the Opposition parties. The BJP is not talking about it”. </p>
<p>MLC Dr Yathindra Siddaramaiah said, nobody has said that the ‘honey-trap’ is being done by leaders of a particular party and thus a comprehensive probe will bring out who is behind it.</p><p>Dr Yathindra, also son of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, said, if Minister Rajanna gives a complaint, the government will take action.</p><p>“Neither Rajanna nor his son have said that they have been ‘trapped’, but that there was an attempt. They have not said that leaders of a particular party have done the honey-trap. However, 17 BJP MLAs, including former chief minister Basavaraja Bommai, had brought an injunction from the court against publication of any of their explicit content. Then, there was an allegation that some BJP leaders had committed the honey-trap. They have no moral-right to speak on the issue. There would be a big network behind this,” he said.</p>.Karnataka honey-trapping | Rajanna's plea to be examined within framework of law: Minister G Parameshwara.<p><strong>‘Misuse of technology’</strong></p><p>“Many people make phone calls to politicians, including me, from across Karnataka. We may receive a call, even if we do not know the caller. There is a misuse of technology. Once we receive a call, we are sent objectionable content through artificial intelligence (AI). They have ulterior motives like blackmailing, extortion of money or getting some government work done. Thus, they should be punished. But, I do not know why the BJP is pointing at a particular person,” Dr Yathindra said.</p><p>In reply to a question, Dr Yathindra said, many BJP leaders have become victims of honey-trap. “This does that mean that they belong to the Siddaramaiah faction. The Congress high-command knows about the issue. The CM and the party leaders will further explain the issue to the high-command. Nobody has mentioned the name of Deputy CM D K Shivakumar,” he said.</p><p>Responding to a question, Dr Yathindra said, “I am not aware of the fact that the houses of ministers do not have CCTV cameras. I know that the CM’s house has CCTV cameras, as I live there. Whoever visits, it is recorded. Besides, there is Police security. Houses of all ministers should be fitted with CCTV cameras, to keep a watch on those involved in honey-trapping”.</p><p><strong>Phone-tapping</strong></p><p>In response to another question, Dr Yathindra said, there is an allegation that the Centre is involved in phone-tapping. “There has been no probe into the allegation that the Centre has paid huge amounts to Israel, to procure <em>Pegasus</em> spyware to tap the phones of the leaders of the Opposition parties. The BJP is not talking about it”. </p>