Snoopgate leaves Cong divided as Shivakumar backs HDK

Karnataka’s phone tapping scandal has caused a split within the Congress with former minister DK Shivakumar flatly denying charges that snooping took place under the previous HD Kumaraswamy-led Congress-JD(S) coalition government.

Shivakumar’s stand runs contrary to other Congress leaders who have sought a probe into the phone tapping scandal, in which Kumaraswamy has been accused of ordering covert surveillance on Congress and JD(S) legislators.

Shivakumar is the only Congress leader who has come out in Kumaraswamy’s defence. On his part, Kumaraswamy has denied having played any role in the scandal.

“Phone tapping did not happen,” Shivakumar told reporters Friday. “I don’t know what was leaked to the media and how. But when I asked around, I was told there was nothing.” He dared Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa to order a probe. “The Congress-JD(S) coalition government did not do anything like that.”

The snooping scandal came to light soon after IPS officer Bhaskar Rao took charge as Bengaluru city police commissioner. A phone conversation he purportedly had with a person named Faraz to lobby for the post was leaked, following which Rao ordered a probe. An interim report has confirmed that phones were indeed tapped.

Apparently, the phones of several senior Congress leaders, including Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Siddaramaiah, had been tapped. While Siddaramaiah has sought a probe, the then Home Minister MB Patil has said he would write to Yediyurappa demanding an inquiry. “Phones are tapped when criminals are involved or during sensitive I-T and CBI cases. My personal secretary’s phone was tapped, apparently. But he’s not a criminal. So this must be investigated,” Patil had told reporters.

Shivakumar hit out at former BJP home minister R Ashoka on the phone tapping row. Ashoka has claimed that he knew about the snooping six months ago. “The previous home minister should have filed a complaint back then itself, if he knew about it or had suspicion. There’s no point in saying something just for the sake of politics. And all (Ashoka) wants to do is politics,” Shivakumar said.