No need for phone tapping: Kumaraswamy denies rebel MLA's allegation

Bengaluru: The former JD(S) state president and a disqualified MLA A H Vishwanath on Wednesday claimed that the former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy tapped the phones of all rebel MLAs. He also alleged that at least 300 personal phones of leaders, including those of Congress Legislature Party leader S Siddaramiah were tapped by the then chief minister.

Stating that Kumaraswamy did not trust anyone, Vishwanath said that such illegal tapping was a criminal offence. “When 17 disgruntled MLAs (including Vishwanath himself) decided to not support the coalition and tendered resignations, H D Kumaraswamy had tapped the phones of MLAs and also that of our associates,” Vishwanath said.

Recalling a similar incident, he pointed out that Ramakrishna Hegde resigned as CM in the late 1980s on similar phone tapping charges.

Kumaraswamy, took to Twitter to clarify on the allegations: “I have always asserted that the CM’s post is not permanent. To retain such a seat, I had no need to opt for phone tapping. The allegations made against me, by some in this regard, is far from truth.”

Senior BJP leader R Ashoka too alleged that phones of several senior leaders of BJP, Congress and even journalists were tapped by the Kumaraswamy government.

The coalition government of the JD(S) and the Congress saw a downfall in July after losing a trust vote necessitated by the resignations of the legislators.