In a blistering critique, Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has charged Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah with neglecting state administration amid the raging phone tapping allegations. The Tuesday broadside comes as the controversy simmers, spotlighting claims that the CM ordered taps on Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar’s lines—allegations Siddaramaiah dismissed outright.
Kumaraswamy, posting voluminously on X, painted a picture of a CM more engrossed in rebuttals than real leadership. Referencing widespread media coverage, he positioned his comments as reactions to legitimate public queries, not unfounded smears.
With Congress holding a strong 140 seats in the assembly, Kumaraswamy decried the focus on infighting over development. He linked the tapping row directly to Congress’s internal power tussle, a view gaining traction beyond just the opposition.
‘Direct answers, not distractions—that’s what the government owes,’ he demanded. Firmly denying any phone tapping during his own CM terms, Kumaraswamy highlighted his governance without absolute majority, negating any motive for such tactics.
The minister drew historical parallels, slamming Congress for undermining democracy, from Emergency impositions to current internal dysfunctions. He condemned public displays of discord between top leaders and threats to media via government ads as anti-democratic.
Kumaraswamy warned against politics fueled by caste and religious divisions, calling it toxic to governance. He rebuked Siddaramaiah for invoking PM Modi unnecessarily and alleged routine vendettas against rivals under the current regime.
Mocking a specific investigation unit as the ‘SIT’—a play on the CM’s name—Kumaraswamy alleged biased probes. Reflecting on Siddaramaiah’s political journey, he quipped that history, not rhetoric, would verdict his career. This escalating feud underscores deepening rifts in Karnataka’s Congress, threatening stable administration.