Bommai says Diwali 'cash gifts' to journalists a 'lie'

Following allegations that his office tried to bribe some journalists by sending Rs 1 lakh cash gifts to them on Deepavali, along with sweet boxes, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday denying his role, called it a 'lie' and part of the 'Congress' toolkit'.

The chief minister said someone has filed a complaint before the Lokayukta on the issue, and let the investigation happen and truth come out.

The Congress on Saturday alleged that Bommai tried to bribe journalists by sending Rs 1 lakh cash gifts to them on Deepavali and demanded the registration of a graft case as well as his resignation. It also sought for judicial inquiry into allegations.

"This is the result of Congress' tool kit, they are trying to create a lie. I have not given any instructions to anyone (to give cash gifts)," Bommai said in response to a question regarding Deepavali cash gifts to journalists from his office, Congress' tweets in this regard and journalists in general are being looked at like 'thieves' because of this.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, he said when the Congress was in power, what gifts were given by various people are 'clearly known', and the media had reported it, whether it was iPhones or laptops or gold coins.

"What morality do they (Congress) have? Above all, someone has filed a complaint in this regard to Lokayukta and Lokayukta will investigate. It is not right to interpret that the gifts were given or all journalists have taken it. Yesterday, a Congress spokesperson interpreted it very wrongly. I condemn it," he added.

Reiterating that he had given no instructions to send out any gifts for journalists, Bommai further in response to a question, whether he will order for any inquiry as his own office is facing an allegation, said, "The matter is before the Lokayukta, it has a police agency, let the truth come out from the inquiry."

A non-government organisation 'Janaadhikara Sanghasha Parishath' has lodged a complaint with the Karnataka Lokayukta against the chief minister alleging that he paid a bribe to the journalists in the guise of Deepavali gift.

The complainants R Adarsh Iyer, Prakash Babu B K and Vishwanath V B of the JSP said chief reporters of several media houses were paid bribes by the chief minister through his close aide, and some of them informed their higher-ups in their organisations and returned the money.