Karnataka Phone Tapping Allegations: BJP, Congress Play Blame Game

Neither Congress, nor BJP has provided any proof. They haven’t approached any authorities to demand a probe either.

Leaders of the Congress and the BJP in Karnataka have been engaged in a war of words over allegations of phone-tapping. While BJP leaders have alleged that the Congress-led state government has been listening to their phone conversations, the Congress has levelled the same allegations on the ruling party at the centre.

While the political blame game has sparked a public debate, neither political party has provided any evidence to support their claims. Neither have they approached any authority, including the courts, demanding a probe.

“162 of Our Phones are Being Tapped”: R Ashoka

While addressing public rally on Monday, 18 September, former Home Minister and BJP leader, R Ashoka, alleged that 162 mobile numbers belonging to BJP leaders were being monitored.

In the interviews that followed, he claimed that the phone-tapping has been going on for past four months.

However, when asked about the evidence to back his allegations, he said his sources in the police informed him about the tapping. “As I have worked as the Home Minister, I’m aware of functioning of the intelligence department. Some of the officers in the department have informed me about our phones were being tapped,” he said.

Without specifying if the party would take legal measures to address the allegations, Ashoka said this information will be presented before the public. “We will ensure that people know that our phones were tapped months ahead of elections,” he said.

“Centre is Tapping Our Phones”: CM Siddaramaiah

The Congress government was quick to turn the tables on the allegations. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Tuesday, 19 September:

If anyone is tapping phone calls, it is the centre government. We have never tapped any phone calls and we will not do it either.

Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy too joined the debate, claiming that centre was tapping the phones of Congress leaders, using the CBI, the IT department, and other agencies.

Neither Siddaramaiah nor Reddy spoke of taking any legal action.

“We Are Going by The Book”: Intelligence Dept

A senior intelligence officer, on condition of anonymity, agreed that state police is tapping phone calls. But these numbers belonged to “persons of interest in matters of security”.

These phone calls are being tapped after obtaining permissions from the concerned authorities and the reasons for keeping them under surveillance has been vetted by concerned officials as well.

Senior intelligence officer, on condition of anonymity

Gopal Hosur, retired Inspector General of Police and former state intelligence chief, said that political parties claiming their phones were being tapped ahead of the elections, was not a new phenomenon.

“Politician can make such statements; however, the police department works as per rules. For everything there is a paper trail, the law demands it,” he said.