'Does Home Ministry belong to your father?' Kumaraswamy dares Karnataka HM Kharge to arrest him
Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Thursday escalated his confrontation with the Karnataka government over an alleged sting operation linked to former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, daring Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and Home Minister Priyank Kharge to arrest him and accusing the police of targeting Janata Dal (Secular) workers.
Visiting the Bengaluru City Police Commissioner’s office, Kumaraswamy challenged Kharge’s warning that anyone suspected in the case, including him, could be questioned or detained. “Does the Home Ministry belong to your father? Your father has not given you this department. If you are a Home Minister, work like one. Issue me a notice if you want, if you have guts,” the Union Minister said.
Kumaraswamy staged a sit-in at the Commissioner’s office and offered to submit himself to any investigation. “If you want to inquire, start from me itself. I have demanded the Commissioner -- whatever inquiry you want, please start from me,” he said.
Detention triggers confrontation
The confrontation followed the detention and questioning of JD(S) workers in connection with the circulation of allegedly defamatory videos linked to Siddaramaiah. Kumaraswamy alleged that a young member of the party’s social-media team was picked up from his residence around 6 am on Wednesday by six to seven people in plain clothes, denied the chance to speak to his wife, and had his mobile phone seized.
He claimed the worker was questioned until 8.30 am and was held at a warehouse-like location until around 8 pm, though he did not provide further evidence for the allegation.
The Bengaluru police said two persons were detained for questioning after Siddaramaiah lodged a complaint alleging a conspiracy to damage his reputation through false information; investigators are tracing IP addresses linked to accounts that circulated the videos.
Kumaraswamy alleged the police action was intended to extract a statement against him. “Yesterday they took one of our workers from 6 am to 8.30 am, questioned him not only in a legal way but illegally, tried to harass him and get whatever the Home Minister and Chief Minister want to fix somebody,” he said.
Attack on Kharge and Shivakumar
The Union Minister accused Kharge of protecting those allegedly behind the sting operation while acting against JD(S) workers. He also questioned why the state government had not acted against Kannada television editor Rakesh Shetty, whom he linked to the controversy.
Kumaraswamy released photographs which he claimed showed Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala with Bagepalli Prashanth, described by him as a rowdy-sheeter, and alleged that Prashanth was connected to Shetty. He demanded Prashanth’s immediate arrest.
He also targeted Chief Minister Shivakumar, calling him the “chief architect” of the controversy and asking how confidential Cabinet discussions had reached the media. “What was discussed in the Cabinet was broadcast in the media. Who leaked the secret talks that happen in the Cabinet to the media?” he asked.
Kumaraswamy reiterated his earlier allegation that Shivakumar had conducted a sting operation against Siddaramaiah, leading to pressure on the former Chief Minister to resign. He claimed Siddaramaiah was called to Delhi for discussions on Cabinet expansion but was instead informed about the sting operation and made to resign.
Siddaramaiah denies links
Siddaramaiah has strongly denied any connection to the purported sting video. In a post on X, the former Chief Minister said his name was being linked to footage circulating on social media as part of a malicious political campaign to damage his reputation.
He has also obtained an injunction from a Bengaluru court restraining 42 media outlets from publishing or broadcasting the video. Siddaramaiah said he supported press freedom but had approached the court because certain organisations were allegedly misusing it to spread falsehoods.
The purported video, reportedly filmed in 2023 and broadcast recently by some local channels, relates to unverified incidents from 2011, when Siddaramaiah was Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly.
CBI demand rejected
Kumaraswamy demanded that the case be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation or, alternatively, be probed by a committee headed by a sitting High Court judge.
Kharge rejected the CBI demand, asking what “cause of action” existed for central intervention and calling it part of a conspiracy to tarnish Siddaramaiah’s reputation. He said the state police were capable of investigating the matter.
City police have registered an FIR and begun examining social-media accounts and IP addresses connected to the circulation of the videos. According to The Times of India, five people, including a JD(S) worker and two minors, were picked up and questioned; three were released, while the minors remained under interrogation.
Political stakes
The row has sharpened tensions between the Congress government and the JD(S)-BJP opposition in Karnataka. Kumaraswamy alleged that sting operations were being used to blackmail politicians and officials, and said the investigation should examine whether people in constitutional institutions were being targeted.
He also criticised Kharge’s conduct since taking charge as Home Minister and urged him to exercise restraint. “Priyank Kharge should control his tongue. He should mind his words,” Kumaraswamy said.
The Union Minister later apologised for any remarks made in the heat of the moment, while insisting he would not remain silent over what he described as the government’s arrogance and misuse of power.