Snoopgate: 'BSY ordered CBI probe at Shah's behest'

Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Siddaramaiah on Monday said Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa had ordered CBI probe into phone tapping following the direction by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Speaking to media persons at the airport here, Siddaramaiah said, "Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa is spinning lies that the case was handed over to the CBI as per my suggestion. If so, now, I demand a transparent probe by the CBI into 'Operation Kamala' in which thousands of crores of rupees were involved."

The former chief minister said he did not speak to Yediyurappa, and his audiotape issue should also be inquired. "I do not use the mobile, only my PAs use them," he clarified.

"When Congress was in power at the Centre, the BJP used to call the CBI as 'Chor Bachao Investigation'. Now, they have suddenly developed love towards the agency. Instead, a probe by CID or SIT should have been ordered. The BJP is noted for misusing I-T, ED, CBI, and other Central agencies to settle their political scores against the Opposition. Now, Yediyurappa should not play politics of vendetta through the CBI probe," Siddaramaiah said.

Siddaramaiah took a dig at the Centre for not releasing funds for flood relief. "The state has incurred losses to the tune of over Rs 1 lakh crore in the recent floods. Union ministers Amit Shah and Nirmala Sitharaman conducted the aerial surveys of the flood-hit districts. The Centre has not released even a single paise for the rehabilitation and restoration works. What's stopping them (BJP-led Union government) from releasing funds to Karnataka, where their party is in power," he chided.

Special legislative session

Later in the day, Siddaramaiah took stock of the flood-hit villages in Badami taluk. He told reporters in Bagalkot that he had pressed the chief minister to convene a special legislative session to discuss the damage caused by the floods and the rehabilitation and restoration of the affected.

"If the chief minister convenes the session, I will highlight the plight of the flood-affected in the House. I will press the government for relocation and rehabilitation of the 36 flood-hit villages in the constituency," he said.