Yogesh K Porwar
The political confrontation between the Congress government and the Janata Dal (Secular)over an alleged defamatory sting operation involving former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah intensified on Wednesday,with Union Minister H.D.Kumaraswamy challenging the police to question him first and Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge accusing him of double standards.
Kumaraswamy visited the Bengaluru City Police Commissioner’s office and asked the police chief to begin the investigation with him rather than target JD(S) workers. 
His visit followed remarks by Kharge about the controversy and the detention and questioning of a JD(S) worker in connection with the case.
Speaking to reporters outside the Commissioner’s office, Kumaraswamy said his name had been mentioned in statements made by the Home Minister over the previous two days.
“I requested,I demanded the Commissioner,whatever enquiry he wanted to enquire,please start from myself.
You can start now itself.You can give direction to your officers to enquire me,”he said.
The Union Minister accused the police of harassing a JD(S) worker to build a case against political opponents.
He alleged that the worker had been questioned from 6 a.m. until 8.30 PM,on Tuesday and claimed that investigators were attempting to extract information to implicate someone at the behest of the Home Minister and Chief Minister.
“Through illegal ways, they tried to harass him to extract whatever the Home Minister and Chief Minister want to continue this enquiry and fix somebody,”he alleged.He said the worker would soon address the media.
Kumaraswamy also questioned the state government’s handling of the controversy and urged it to uphold Karnataka’s reputation for good governance.
Responding to the development,Kharge took to X and accused Kumaraswamy of seeking an investigation publicly while attempting to shield his party workers once the probe began.
“RSS’new blue eyed boy, goes ballistic before the media, demanding an investigation.The moment investigation begins,he runs to the Commissioner pleading,‘Don’t investigate my boys!’”Kharge posted.
He added:“Accountability for others. Immunity for his own.”
The exchange has further sharpened the political battle over the alleged sting operation,with Kumaraswamy accusing the government of misusing the police investigation and Kharge questioning the Union Minister’s stand on accountability.
The allegations made by both sides centre on the conduct and direction of the ongoing inquiry.
