Congress playing politics over Bitcoin scam, keeping 'non-issue' alive: Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai

Congress leaders have alleged the involvement of senior BJP leaders in the scam, and accused the government of trying to cover it up

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday said that Congress wanted to keep allegations surrounding the Bitcoin case alive for political reasons, even as he found support from three senior Cabinet colleagues who came out to defend his government.

“They (Congress) want to keep the non-issue alive just for the sake of politics,” Bommai told reporters.

Irked, Bommai said that reporters should ask questions to Congress. “I have already said that if they have any documents, they should give them to the ED or our police. Definitely, we will take them seriously and we will probe if there’s any merit. Why are you asking me about this again and again?”

Read | Bitcoin scam: Shah asks Nadda to rein in leaders

Asked if Congress was failing in setting a narrative, Bommai said, “There’s no question of setting a narrative. When there’s no story, how can there be a narrative?”

Meanwhile, Revenue Minister R Ashoka, Housing Minister V Somanna and Excise Minister K Gopalaiah addressed a news conference to counter the Congress’ allegations. “Before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress accused the BJP of a scam in the Rafale deal. Later, it was found that it was the Congress that took a commission,” Ashoka charged.

According to Ashoka, the Bitcoin case is being played up because of “a cold war” within the Congress between party president DK Shivakumar and former chief minister Siddaramaiah. “It is said that this has to do with the Youth Congress presidency,” he said. “The current president is close to Siddaramaiah and the future president is from Shivakumar’s side. The Bitcoin case is being raked up to prevent the new president from taking charge.”

Read | Hacker Sriki saga spooks a fledgling Bommai govt

Ashoka asked Congress why Srikrishna, the hacker at the centre of the Bitcoin case, was not arrested in February 2018 when he was accused in the Farzi Cafe brawl case involving the Youth Congress leader Mohammed Haris Nalapad. “Who exerted pressure on you to not arrest him? In May 2018, the Congress government filed an affidavit that Sriki is absconding. In October that year, he got bail. What was the government doing when he got bail,” he asked.

Refuting all other allegations made by Congress, Ashoka accused the party of building a garland of lies. “The Congress is an unemployed party and they’re proving that by making baseless allegations,” he said.

Watch latest videos by DH here: