Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president D.K. Shivakumar on Friday wrote to city Police Commissioner Kamal Panth stating that he suspected two of his phones were being tapped over the last few days.
In the letter, he cited disturbances on his phone line and problems he had receiving calls as the reasons for his suspicion.
The BJP, meanwhile, has denied the allegation. Medical Education Minister K. Sudhakar and Revenue Minister R. Ashok said that the allegation was baseless and it was not “BJP culture” to indulge in such things. Both accused the previous Congress government of indulging in such acts.
Earlier in the day, speaking to presspersons at his residence in the city, Mr. Shivakumar said Congress leaders of the State have previously complained that their phones were being tapped by the Centre. “I am sure my phone calls are being tapped. I am not receiving calls from this morning,” Mr Shivakumar alleged.
KPCC working president Saleem Ahmed claimed that Mr. Shivakumar had launched a series of protests against the BJP government and exposed its failure in handling the violence in K.G. Halli and D.J. Halli in Pulakeshinagar. His protest against the government could be the reason for the alleged phone tapping, he claimed.
The Congress will raise several issues related to mismanagement of COVID-19 and violence in the city during the upcoming session of the State legislature, Mr. Shivakumar said.
