Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Tuesday, 13 October fired back at Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy with pointed sarcasm after Kumaraswamy alleged that Shivakumar was orchestrating sting operations against his own Cabinet colleagues. Speaking near Karnataka Bhavan in New Delhi, Shivakumar challenged Kumaraswamy to produce documentary evidence and said time would settle the matter.

Shivakumar's Counter-Challenge

'Very happy. Union Minister Kumaraswamy has drawn the state's attention to a good issue,' Shivakumar said, his tone unmistakably sarcastic. He declined to engage further on the substance of the allegations, instead turning the pressure back on his accuser. 'Time will answer Kumaraswamy's allegations. Whatever documents he has referred to, let him bring them forward. He has said that the matter should be handed over to someone for investigation. Let him submit the documents to them,' Shivakumar said.

What Kumaraswamy Alleged

Earlier on Tuesday, Janata Dal (Secular) state president and Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy demanded a comprehensive and impartial Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into what he described as a systematic pattern of sting operations targeting political leaders and their families in Karnataka. Kumaraswamy said he intends to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah, submit a formal complaint, and seek a structured investigation.

He called for the probe to establish who was behind the alleged operations, who conducted them, and what roles different individuals played — with action against those found guilty. Notably, he stopped short of directly accusing the Chief Minister of personally ordering the surveillance, saying the investigation should determine what transpired within the departments concerned.

A Pattern of Allegations

Kumaraswamy pointed to what he described as a recurring pattern: a former Chief Minister had allegedly been targeted in a sting operation, followed by former Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi, and subsequently K.N. Rajanna. He claimed Rajanna had at one point alleged that a leader from his own party was running a 'CD factory' but was later silenced. 'Now it is Siddaramaiah's turn,' Kumaraswamy alleged.

He further claimed that four retired police officers had been posted at Chief Minister Shivakumar's official residence in Sadashivanagar after he assumed office — purportedly to monitor conversations of ministers and others using sophisticated equipment. Kumaraswamy said surveillance and phone-tapping discussions had reportedly been circulating within police circles. 'If a person holding the office of Chief Minister keeps his own party's MLAs and ministers under surveillance to secure his position, what does that mean?' he asked.

Political Context

The exchange is the latest flashpoint in an increasingly fractious relationship between Karnataka's ruling Indian National Congress government and the National Democratic Alliance partners — particularly the JD(S), which has long been a rival of the Congress in the state's Old Mysuru region. The sting operation controversy comes amid ongoing political turbulence in Karnataka, where the Congress government has faced several internal and external pressures since coming to power in 2023. Critics argue that the timing of Kumaraswamy's allegations — and his announcement of a meeting with Home Minister Shah — signals a deliberate effort to keep the Karnataka government on the back foot.

What Happens Next

Kumaraswamy has said he will formally submit his complaint and supporting documents to Union Home Minister Shah. Whether the Centre responds with a CBI referral will depend on those documents meeting the legal threshold for intervention in a state matter. Shivakumar's challenge to produce evidence in the public domain, meanwhile, sets up the next phase of this political confrontation.