Sting video row: Kumaraswamy claims JD(S) social media team being targeted

Union minister H D Kumaraswamy has sought an impartial inquiry into an alleged sting video targeting former chief minister Siddaramaiah. (File Photos)

Union minister and Janata Dal (Secular) leader H D Kumaraswamy on Wednesday accused the Karnataka government of harassing young members of his party’s social media team following his questions regarding an alleged sting video targeting former chief minister Siddaramaiah.

“Shankar, who works with our social media team, was taken away by the police today without any case being registered against him. I have also received reports that another team member, Mohan, and his family are being harassed. Why are these young people being targeted, and under what authority?” he said in a post on X.

The controversy over a purported sting operation has taken Karnataka politics by storm after Chief Minister D K Shivakumar warned his Cabinet colleagues of possible sting operations to lure them and discredit the Congress-led government. This led Kumaraswamy to hint that Shivakumar himself was behind the operations.

Kumaraswamy calls for fair probe

According to Kumaraswamy, while the alleged conspirator behind the explicit recordings continues to move about freely without facing scrutiny, law enforcement agencies are unjustly targeting those raising questions. “This raises serious questions about the government’s priorities,” he said.

Noting that he had sought a CBI probe into allegations that sting operations were used to trap ministers, Kumaraswamy said the questions must be answered through a fair and impartial inquiry, and “not by putting pressure on our workers and their families”.

Siddaramaiah slams ‘smear campaign’

The purported sting video, filmed in 2023 and recently broadcast by some local TV channels, relates to unverified incidents from 2011, when Siddaramaiah was the Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly during the tenure of the B S Yediyurappa-led BJP government.

On Tuesday, Siddaramaiah secured an injunction against the broadcast of the purported sting operation video. “Even though I have no connection whatsoever to this sting operation video, some mischief-makers are using it to engage in a smear campaign against me,” the former chief minister said.