Former CM Siddaramaiah alleges BJP Govt has been tapping phones for years

Mangaluru (Karnataka) [India], July 23 (ANI): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government has been indulging in phone tapping for several years and reports of the recent Pegasus spyware scandal is nothing new, alleged former Karnakata Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday.
Addressing mediapersons on the Pegasus project, that allegedly targeted the phones of several politicians and journalists over the last few years, the senior Congress leader said that even the phone of his Personal Assistant and other leaders had been tapped in 2019.
"My PA Venkatesh's phone was tapped in 2019. Even the phones of HD Kumarswamy, Dr G Parameshwar and others were tapped. These reports are not new. The BJP did whatever was needed to topple the coalition government. I have asked for a Supreme Court-led committee for an enquiry," he said.
He added, "When governments tap phones of Supreme Court judges, it is an assassination of democracy. They have no moral right to continue in power, the BJP government is useless."
Amid talk of a possible change in the state's leadership, Siddaramaiah today demanded that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announce a Dalit name for the post of Chief Minister in the upcoming Assembly elections.
"The BJP talks about social justice and Nalin Kumar Kateel suggested that we announce a Dalit candidate. The Congress has had many Dalit Chief Ministers in the past. Now it is the BJP's turn. Why can't they do it now? It's the right time to show the love towards the Dalit community," Siddaramaiah said.
They must announce a Dalit name for the post of Chief Minister instead of making comments against the Congress, he added.
He further hit out at Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa for failing to properly compensate victims of floods.
"People lost houses, animals, loved family members to the floods but BS Yadiyurappa didn't care about them. BJP is thinking about a CM change. whoever may come to the post will remain the same - as corrupt as Yediyurappa said Siddaramaiah," he said. (ANI)