Bengaluru: The explosive allegations against Karnataka BJP and its state chief BS Yeddyurappa made by chief minister HD Kumaraswamy before presenting the budget last Friday was the only topic debated during Monday’s assembly session.
Following the debate, speaker KR Ramesh Kumar advised the state government to conduct a detailed probe into the audio tape.
The CM promised to constitute a special investigation team to probe the case. During the first hour of the session, minister of rural development, law and parliamentary affairs Krishna Byre Gowda initiated the debate on the audio tape and urged the speaker to discuss it.
On Friday, Kumaraswamy had released two tapes allegedly of the BJP state president trying to lure JDS MLA Naganagouda through his son Sharana Gouda with the promise of money and position.
The former chief minister had initially dismissed the tape as "fake" and a "concocted story". He dismissed Kumaraswamy’s claim that he had spoken in the audio about a 'Rs 50 crore' offer to the assembly speaker .
However, on Sunday, Yeddyurappa admitted that it was his voice on the clip, but accused Kumaraswamy of writing the script for the recording.
"First, we should know who has spoken these words? Whether it is someone unconnected to the House or whether it is someone in a position of responsibility? When someone talks about the speaker, then it becomes contempt of the House and not just the speaker. I too am a member of this legislative House,” Gowda said.
Remembering former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the speaker said, “When the opposition had moved a no-confidence motion against Vajpayee in 1999 and cast a doubt on his integrity, he had urged them to look at his 40 years in Parliament. I too completely reject the allegations made by a ‘few’ in the audio tape. One can visit my home and see how I live. I have not even taken government residence,” Kumar said.
The speaker told Kumaraswamy that "This (SIT) should not lead to a witch-hunt. The probe should be only to establish the truth."
While Yeddyurappa remained silent, BJP MLA JC Madhuswamy urged the speaker not to discuss the issue in the assembly as the conversation had occurred outside the house, adding that he and his party had complete faith on Kumar’s integrity.
However, Gowda said that when a responsible person makes allegations about luring the speaker, the House has the right to know the truth. The Congress and JDS then jointly demanded a probe.
Former chief minister Siddaramaiah said, “Though nobody in the House is unaware of your ethical standards, it doesn’t prove that the content in the audio tape is false. As this is a democratic system, the truth has to come out through a proper probe.”
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