Karnataka Assembly speaker suspends 18 BJP MLAs amid ruckus over honey trapping claims

The Karnataka Assembly Speaker UT Khader on Friday suspended 18 Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs for six months for causing a ruckus in the House in connection with allegations of honey trapping made by a Congress minister, The Hindu reported.

A day earlier, state minister and Congress leader, KN Rajanna alleged that 48 politicians, including a minister, were honey-trapped in the state and that an attempt was made to trap him too.

Honey trapping refers to using romantic or sexual relationships to entice a person into revealing information or to manipulate someone, often for political purposes.

When the Assembly session began on Friday, the BJP demanded a judicial inquiry into Rajanna’s claims, Deccan Herald reported. The Opposition party also demanded a response from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on the allegations.

“The CM [chief minister] himself must answer first,” BJP MLA V Sunil Kumar said. “A senior minister has said [honey trap] attempts were made on him. Doesn’t this government have morality?”

Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka demanded an inquiry under a sitting judge of the Karnataka High Court.

“If a minister has no protection in this government, then what about others?” Ashoka asked. “The minister himself has said that honey-trap victims include central leaders as well as judges… If someone is destroying people for the sake of power, then is there...

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