BJP and JD(S) leaders, including HD Kumaraswamy and CN Ashwath Narayan, alleged misuse of power and demanded accountability.
A screen grab from a viral video where former MLA Yathindra Siddaramaiah is having telephonic conversation with his father CM Siddaramaiah on Wednesday.
A recent telephonic exchange between Varuna’s former MLA Yathindra Siddaramaiah and his father — Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah — has become the focal point of controversy.
Insisting that the telephonic conversation between Yathindra and Siddaramaiah was all about a cash-for-transfer scam, Opposition parties have alleged misuse of power and demanded accountability from the Congress government in Karnataka.
After the video of the phone conversation went viral, the BJP and the JD(S) have jointly called for an inquiry into the interaction. This reignited discussions around the purported “YST” (Yathindra Siddaramaiah Tax) — a term used by Opposition parties to accuse Yathindra of seeking commissions for transfers.
BJP and JD(S) leaders, including former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy and former deputy chief minister Dr CN Ashwath Narayan, voiced concerns about the apparent misuse of power, emphasising the need for accountability within the government.
Siddaramaiah refuted the allegations that the conversation was about the transfers.
“We were talking about the CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) school fund to be released. He is the chairman of the Ashraya Committee,” said the chief minister, declaring that he would retire from politics if anyone was able to prove that he had recommended transfers.
After a video of purported phone call between CM @siddaramaiah & his son @Dr_Yathindra_S goes viral, opposition parties @BJP4Karnataka & @JanataDal_S allege misuse of power.
Call for probe & legal action against "transfer mafia" pic.twitter.com/GOc8tJQzcM
— South First (@TheSouthfirst) November 16, 2023
A purported video of former MLA Yathindra and his father CM Siddaramaiah having a telephonic conversation went viral on Thursday.
Yathindra was carrying out a Jana Samparka meeting in Varuna on Wednesday when the telephonic conversation is said to have occurred. He is also chairman of the Ashraya Committee.
In the 48-second video, Yathindra is apparently heard saying: “No father (Siddaramaiah), who is this Mahadevappa? Give him the phone. Give him the phone. I will talk. I have given 5 only.”
It went on: “Hello, Mahadeva, why are you giving random ones? Who is giving the list there? No, tell him to do whatever I have said.” The call was then disconnected.
As soon as the video went viral, BJP and JD(S) leaders accused the Congress government in Karnataka of being complicit in a cash-for-transfer scam.
Terming Siddaramaiah as “Karnataka’s collection king” and Yathindra Siddaramaiah as “Karnataka’s collection prince”, JD(S) state president Kumaraswamy said: “This video clip is evidence of money being given for postings. The cash-for-posting scam has been going on uncontrollably and shamelessly in the Congress government.”
ಕಾಸಿಗಾಗಿ ಹುದ್ದೆ ಉರುಫ್ #CashForPosting ದಂಧೆ ಕರ್ನಾಟಕದಲ್ಲಿ ಅವ್ಯಾಹತವಾಗಿ, ಎಗ್ಗಿಲ್ಲದೆ, ಲಜ್ಜೆಗೆಟ್ಟು ನಡೆದಿದೆ ಎನ್ನುವುದಕ್ಕೆ ಈ ವಿಡಿಯೋ ತುಣುಕೇ ಸಾಕ್ಷಿ. @INCKarnataka ಸರಕಾರದ ವಸೂಲಿ ಬಿಸ್ನೆಸ್ ಹಾದಿಬೀದಿಗೆ ಬಂದಿದೆ. ನೈತಿಕತೆ, ಮೌಲ್ಯ, ಸಾಮಾಜಿಕ ನ್ಯಾಯದ ಡೋಂಗಿ ಹರಿಕಾರನ ಅಸಲಿ ಮುಖ ಅದೇ ಹಾದಿಬೀದಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಮೂರು ಕಾಸಿಗೆ… pic.twitter.com/T1366ek2iS
— ಹೆಚ್.ಡಿ.ಕುಮಾರಸ್ವಾಮಿ | H.D.Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) November 16, 2023
He added: “This government’s recovery business has come to the fore. The real face of social justice, ethics, and values of the chief minister is auctioned for three cents.”
Continuing his tirade, Kumaraswamy pointed out: “One needs no greater evidence that Karnataka’s collection king father and his son, Karnataka’s collection prince, are looting the secretariat.”
He added: “The chief minister and his son are shamelessly doing transfer business in a public meeting. The Chief Minister Office’s (CMO) has sold the state’s pride for money. If this is the condition on the streets, how much more business happened within the four walls?”
He also said: “Is this person who threatened the chief minister and said ‘do as I say’ the son of the chief minister or the super chief minister of Karnataka? Or minister for cash for posting? Or a minister for internal recovery model in the Secretariat?”
Kumaraswamy continued: “Who is that person Mahadev? I spoke about him during one of my pressers. I said that he takes ₹30 lakh for every transfer. The chief minister often says that Kumaraswamy lies.” He then asked: “How will Siddaramaiah respond to this now?”
In a series of questions, Kumaraswamy asked about the money that Siddarmaiah and his son allegedly made for these actions.
Meanwhile, Ashwath Narayan told reporters in Bengaluru: “The YST is back in the news again. He is not even an elected member. In this government, it has again become clear that it is the transfer business and ATM government. Power is being misused. In the name of father, the power has been misused.”
He added: “No respect for any system and the law. This is proof. There should be a probe against them and they must be punished as per the law.”
Siddaramaiah on Thursday vehemently denied the allegations levelled by Kumaraswamy and the BJP regarding the telephonic conversation.
He told reporters in Bengaluru: “I regret to acknowledge that former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy, known for his involvement in rampant corruption during his tenure, continues to project his pessimistic attitude onto others.”
Unfortunately, former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, who was involved in rampant corruption during his tenure, thinks all are like him. His pessimistic attitude does not allow him to think beyond corruption. His insecurity in politics often forces him to fabricate fake stories…
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) November 16, 2023
He added: “His inability to move beyond corruption has led him to fabricate baseless stories, creating a distorted image of his political opponents. Unfortunately, this trend persisted in his recent misrepresentation of a public phone conversation between my son and me concerning the development of schools in the Varuna constituency.”
He continued: “Yathindra is the Varuna Constituency Ashraya Committee chairman and KDP member. He has been working tirelessly towards the region’s development, particularly in enhancing government schools through CSR funds. The conversation revolved around the identification of beneficiary schools for developmental initiatives. Kumaraswamy twisted this conversation in public, falsely attributing it to corruption in transfers.”
The chief minister also said: “If you are able to prove that I recommended the transfer of anyone in my political career, I will retire from politics.”
He further said: “The people of Karnataka have witnessed Kumaraswamy’s persistent attempts to personally defame me, especially since his party faced a significant defeat in the elections. His recent actions, aiming to harm my family for political gain, expose a sadistic mindset.”
He added: “Despite not participating in the elections, Yathindra remains dedicated to the development of Varuna. Kumaraswamy’s unfounded allegations serve as a cruel attempt to mentally disturb my son. It appears that Kumaraswamy has overlooked the fact that his own family is also involved in politics. However, I choose not to descend to his level by making unwarranted remarks about his family.”
Siddaramaiah also said: “I urge former prime minister HD Deve Gowda to advise his son to avoid becoming an object of ridicule in the eyes of Kannadigas. This unfortunate situation underscores the lengths to which some politicians will go for their ulterior political motives.”
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