Bengaluru: Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy, on Friday, April 27, alleged that National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government has been misusing its power by tapping telephones of Congress leaders in Karnataka.
“More than 100 Congress leaders’ telephones are being tapped by three teams from Delhi, Gujarat and Jaipur under the directions of BJP national president Amit Shah. They are tapping even the telephones of Congress sympathizers,’’ Reddy told media persons at Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) office here.
He said the tapping of Congress leaders, legislators, and ministers’ telephones began three months ago and it has been intensified round the clock for the last 15 days.
“These teams are translating Kannada conversation into Hindi and English. They are also having access to Congress strategy. The purpose of the telephone tapping is to trouble Congress leaders,’’ he said.
Coming down heavily on misusing of Central agencies, he said the Central Government has targeting Congress leaders by conducting raids on their residences by the Income Tax officials. He said the I-T officials conducted raids on the residences of Sringeri Taluk Congress president, Karwar Block Congress Committee president and Anekal Congress MLA Shivanna. “The I-T officials are conducting raids on the residences of Congress Block Committee presidents. I am of the opinion that such I-T officials should join the BJP instead of misusing their authority by conducting raids on local Congress leaders. Why no I-T raids on BJP leaders who possess currency counting machines at their homes?’’ he asked.
The minister said an internal survey of BJP has found that the party would not win more than 60 seats in the Assembly elections. “The BJP leaders are blackmailing Congress leaders by threatening to conduct I-T raids on them. Their objective is to win more seats in the Assembly elections. I am sure of Congress retaining power in the state. An inquiry into the telephone tapping episode after retaining the power in the state,’’ he said.
Lampooning BJP leadership’s statement on former minister Gali Janardhana Reddy, he said the BJP national leaders state that BJP had nothing to do with Janardhana Reddy but the latter was seen with BJP state president B.S. Yeddyurappa and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivaraj Singh Chauhan when BJP candidate B Sriramulu was filing nomination papers.
“Janardhana Reddy is seen campaigning for BJP candidates but the BJP national leaders say that he has nothing to do with the BJP. It seems there is no coordination between BJP’s national and state leaders on this issue,’’ he said.
Describing the BJP advertisements in print and electronic media as blatant lies, the minister said the BJP leaders are making baseless allegations against Congress government through the advertisements. “BJP leaders should be ashamed for telling such lies to the people of Karnataka. They are making baseless allegations against Anna Bhagya scheme that is aimed at providing food for the needy at subsidized price,’’ he said.
Questioning the need of UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath coming to Karnataka, he said that UP Chief Minister would be coming to tell the people how he protected and supported BJP MLA who was involved in a rape case in Uttar Pradesh.
