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Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara on Thursday stated that the government would never engage in tapping the phones of the Governor’s office.
He said this in response to the BJP's accusations that the Karnataka government had tapped the phone of Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot.
Speaking to the media in Bengaluru on Thursday, HM Parameshwara said, “We have not tapped the Governor’s phone, and there is no need for it. The BJP is making allegations based on what they did when they were in power, as if we are functioning like them.”
“There is no connection between the BJP’s allegations and phone tapping. They make hundreds of allegations against us every day. What are we supposed to do?” HM Parameshwara asked.
“We have never indulged in phone tapping, and we will not do so just because allegations are being raised. There is absolutely no necessity for it,” he said.
Responding to another question, Parameshwara said, “We are training our officers on the newly enacted Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and helping them understand it properly. We have taken action against a police Inspector for misinterpretation. Whenever a mistake is made, we will rectify it.”
On the extension of the Assembly session, he said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had discussed the matter during the Congress Legislature Party meeting.
“The Speaker has been requested to convene a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee. A decision will be taken in that meeting to extend the session by two more days,” he said. The current session is scheduled to conclude on January 31.
He added that several issues were raised by legislators during the Congress Legislature Party meeting. “The Chief Minister has taken note of them and will take necessary action,” he said.
Regarding the demand for transferring police Inspectors within a one-year period, Parameshwara said that earlier Inspectors were transferred after one year. “However, considering that they were unable to work effectively within that period, transfers are now being done after two years of service at a police station,” he said.
“We will discuss the pros and cons of this matter and take an appropriate decision,” he added.
It can be recalled that the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Karnataka Assembly and BJP leader, R. Ashoka, alleged on Wednesday that the state government is tapping the phones at Raj Bhavan, and demanded that the matter be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).