Karnataka Cooperation Minister KN Rajanna on Thursday alleged there was a huge honeytrap racket targeting MLAs and ministers in the state and urged Home Minister G Parameshwara to conduct a probe to expose the “producers, directors and actors” behind the racket.
Rajanna put all speculations to rest by admitting that there had been at least two “attempts” to honeytrap him and said Karnataka had earned the disrepute as a “CD-pendrive factory”.
“I have evidence to prove there was a honeytrap attempt on me at my official residence. There was speculation over a minister from Tumakuru having been honey trapped. My name has cropped up in the Assembly now. So, I am clarifying it. I have information that there are pen drives of 48 MLAs from across political parties, and of state and national level leaders. But many have taken a stand not to discuss it openly. It is a nationwide menace,” said Rajanna, adding that honey trapping had become a big menace.
“I will give a written complaint and urge the home minister to conduct a thorough probe to expose those behind this racket. It will be a good lesson to those tarnishing others’ image and also help protect the reputation of people who are in public life,” added Rajanna.
“We need to end this menace as the reputation of our members is at stake. We will conduct a high-level probe,” assured Parameshwara.
Earlier, BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal surprised everyone as he raised the issue in the House though Speaker UT Khader repeatedly asked him not to deviate from the subject and restrict his speech only to discussion on the Budget.
“Karnataka is a cultured and progressive state. But today, we hear that there is a systematic ploy to honeytrap and blackmail the elected representatives. Our cooperative minister is himself aggrieved by this racket as some people who are aspiring to become the chief minister are resorting to blackmail. I urge the chief minister to take serious note of it and the home minister to conduct a probe. Earlier, it was Ramesh Jarkiholi and now, it is Rajanna. Tomorrow it could be any of us,” said Yatnal.
BJP MLA from RR Nagar Munirathna burst out against deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar alleging that he had been targeting his political opponents in the most heinous way and he should immediately stop it.
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“He ruined my life with the false rape charge against me. I urge the government to handover my case to the CBI. I caution all MLAs that there are efforts to ruin our lives. They have been harassing me since the day I won the seat by a huge margin. He spoiled Jarkiholi’s name, destroyed Revanna’s family too and is today targeting Rajanna. My children have suffered due to a false case, my grandchildren are 15. I have not committed the rape. You may hang me if proven guilty. He is now targeting Rajanna. He should remember he too has a family and children,” said Munirathana flaunting the photographs of gods and Shivakumar’s spiritual Guru Ajjayya, inside the Assembly.
PWD minister Satish Jarkiholi also demanded a probe into the incident.
MLA Rajendra, son of Rajanna said he would meet Rahul Gandhi and complain. “There have been attempts to honeytrap me and my father for the last six months,” he alleged.