Bengaluru: A fresh controversy has erupted in Karnataka’s political circles as Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Satish Jarkiholi has claimed that not only him, but at least 48 members of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly have been targeted over the past two decades in honey trap schemes. Jarkiholi’s statement, made in the state assembly on Wednesday, follows recent reports of an attempted honey trap on another Karnataka minister.Jarkiholi, who is close to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, corroborated that he himself had been attacked twice but the attacks failed. The matter was brought up in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly by former BJP minister V Sunil Kumar, who urged a thorough probe into what he called a “honey-trap factory” said to be functioning within the state government. Kumar asked the state home department to intervene and investigate the issue thoroughly.
Jarkiholi’s allegations paint a disturbing picture, claiming that honey trapping tactics have been employed for at least 20 years in Karnataka politics. He further noted that the victims of such traps have spanned all political parties — Congress, BJP, and Janata Dal (Secular) — highlighting the widespread nature of these tactics across party lines. His statements come amid rising concerns about the use of blackmail and manipulation in political circles.”This is not a new phenomenon,” Jarkiholi added. “There have been several such cases in the past. The names of 48 MLAs have come into the picture who have been allegedly targeted. Many of them even approached the courts for legal protection and got stay orders from the High Court. This is not restricted to any political party; such efforts have impacted politicians on all sides. Now, my name too has surfaced in these kinds of discussions.”Jarkiholi emphasized that the practice must be brought to an end, terming it as political integrity-destabilizing. “This has been going on for 20 years, and the politicization of such events must stop,” he added, emphasizing that there should be emphasis on improving the state and not on deceptive and coercive practices.
Responding to the issue, Karnataka State Home Minister G Parameshwara pledged that a high-level probe will be instituted into the allegations. The Home Minister ensured that the state government would find out the truth and put an end to the issue. Jarkiholi had also urged the home department to take swift action. “We have approached the Home Minister with a request for him to investigate the situation. If need be, I will make a formal complaint,” he stated.
On the same day, Karnataka minister from Tumkuru KN Rajanna, who is also a close associate of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, disclosed that there was a discussion about a minister from Tumkuru being a honey trap victim. Rajanna made it clear that only two ministers are from Tumkur — himself and the Home Minister — but did not mention the other individual.
Giving more credibility to the charges, Rajanna added, “There are reports of 48 MLAs being honey trapped in the past. A majority of these people have resorted to taking legal action to save their names, and I think an investigation should be made to find out who is using these traps.” Rajanna asked for a thorough investigation to be launched to identify the culprits.
The BJP has seized on Jarkiholi’s remarks, with senior leader CT Ravi demanding a comprehensive probe into the matter. Ravi stated that Jarkiholi’s admission of being a target lent credibility to the claims, underscoring the need for a special team to be formed to investigate the issue. “Satish Jarkiholi is a senior leader, and if he has spoken on this matter, it must be true,” Ravi said. He also asked the mastermind behind the honey trapping operations to be investigated, insisting that the probe should aim to determine the major players behind these schemes.
This political tempest follows a similar incident in Tumkur district. Two women were arrested earlier this month for allegedly honey trapping a BJP leader, Annappa Swamy. Swamy had alleged that a woman befriended him on Facebook and then blackmailed him with intimate videos. The incident further added to the suspicions of honey trapping rackets being used for personal and political purposes.
Political warfare using honey traps is not a new phenomenon, and the recent expose has caused heated debate in Karnataka, with most people questioning the morality of such actions. Experts have cautioned that the use of such methods could further degenerate the trust in the political process and undermine the governance of the state.
As the probe went on, even the Congress and the BJP issued calls for a speedy action of identifying the masterminds of these honey traps and taking action against them. Whether this instance will make a tangible difference in the political equation in Karnataka, only time would tell, but for the present, the looming shadow of honey trapping remains ever-present over Karnataka’s political canvas.
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