Chief Minister B. S. Yeddyurappa alights from a bus to offer puja at Dharmasthala this morning. i. e. on 27th of June 2011.

Former CM H. D. Kumaraswamy:
A sort of storm in a tea - cup was created on 16. 06.2011 in Karnataka politics when a State - level Kannada newspaper, ill - disposed towards B. S. Yeddyurappa, the Chief Minister, published a front - page report about H. D. Kumaraswamy's [HDK] allegations that the CM was trying to buy his silence by offering him money, future coalition (as if Yeddyurappa has not learnt his lesson in this regard), etc.

HDK's favourite TV channels too highlighted this news which was, as it turned out later, intended to harass and discredit Yeddyurappa.

This apart, earlier Kumaraswamy had said he would release documents about - CM's corruption and tax evasion in Delhi, but that date had now passed by many days.The 16. 06.2011 report had said that Lehar Singh, a BJP MLC and a close confidante of Yeddyurappa, was the contact - man. However, Lehar Singh had denied this saying, no doubt he had met Kumaraswamy, but it was three months ago and it was a courtesy call, both being in the same place. Period.

Yeddyurappa was in Kottakkal Ayurvedic Vidya Shala in Kerala at that time for a week’s treatment. However, the report was so prejudiced and tendentious, it alleged that the CM was there as he had learnt through his sleuths that Kumaraswamy had already booked a room there for 12. 06. 2011 and the CM (cleverly) thought that the opportunity could be availed for his secret meeting with Kumaraswamy. Real joke. Well, it is because of this kind of report; a wag had said that he gets his daily dose of jokes from his morning newspaper.

Understandably, Yeddyurappa was taken aback. He denied the report and retaliated in a novel way. On 18. 06. 2011, he published an open letter to Kumaraswamy in all State - level English and Kannada newspapers on the front page, inviting Kumaraswamy to Dharmasthala Sri Manjunatheshwara temple, near Mangalore, for an oath - test (Aane in Kannada) to put an end to this "sordid drama" of baseless criticism and allegation once and for all. May be this war of attrition between the two was too much to suffer for Yeddyurappa, hence this challenge to swear before the God known to punish the liars and the guilty.

Though cornered for a moment, Kumaraswamy picked up the gauntlet thrown at him by Yeddyurappa quickly and said he was ready for the oath - test.

Kumaraswamy has been accusing Yeddyurappa of mal - administration and corruption ever since the day Yeddyurappa assumed office as Chief Minister on May 30, 2008 following the Assembly election that was made inevitable because of Kumaraswamy's failure to honour the words given to BJP under the coalition agreement.

An election was unnecessarily thrust upon the people much ahead of the term. Of course, Kumaraswamy paid a heavy price when the results came — the number of seats his party JD (S) won was reduced from 58 to 28 and Congress was not ready to burn its hand for the second time. Kumaraswamy lost his face further, when Yeddyurappa became the Chief Minister without the burden of coalition. This was too much of a political challenge to Kumaraswamy and his family who run the JD (S). It was a question of their political survival.

So began his campaign to first bring down the BJP government with the help of 5 independents, 11 disgruntled BJP MLAs and rather reluctant support from the Congress. This operation, as we know, was a disaster. Then followed the allegation of corruption and nepotism against Yeddyurappa personally, of course, with a lot of help from a naive looking Yeddyurappa himself. I wonder what he had learnt about the "tricks of trade" used in corruption when he was in the opposition for so many years. I guess he is a slow learner.

As for Kumaraswamy, he had to be in political limelight till the next election by whatever means — fair or foul. Otherwise he will be in political wilderness and by the time the election arrives, he will be forgotten. Therefore all this "sordid drama," as Yeddyurappa calls, must be relentlessly enacted and he is doing his political duty for political survival. You can't blame him either.

However, when Yeddyurappa found his betenoire going too far, making imaginary allegations as published on 16.6.2011, that too when he was away from the State, he must have thought enough is enough. It was almost like shadow boxing. Law courts are too slow for early resolution of allegations of this nature. Hence the challenge of truth - test before God.

Yeddyurappa writes:
"Let us put an end to this sordid drama from your side. I believe in God. I hope you are also a believer of God. Therefore, I am throwing you a challenge. You indicate the date and time where both of us can meet at Dharmasthala and take an oath in front of Lord Manjunatha Swamy. If you have the courage to stick to your allegations in front of the Almighty, I will appreciate your courage. I am ever ready to take a pledge before God that all the allegations made by you are completely baseless."

And we must appreciate Kumaraswamy for readily accepting the challenge creating a political turmoil and leaving the Saints and heads of religious Mutts in a quandary. Suddenly these political and Hindu religious leaders became more secular than ever and declared that oath-test or swearing before God in matters purely temporal and political is not correct.

And as I write this, Kumaraswamy is at Dharmasthala to take a pledge as sought by Yeddyurappa. In the meanwhile, Yeddyurappa too is in Dharmasthala not for taking the pledge, because his political boss BJP National President Nitin Gadkari had ordered not to do so, but to offer prayers instead. [This has since been done].

According to yesterday's newspaper, Yeddyurappa seems to have become wiser from his experience with Kumaraswamy. He has announced to media at Gulbarga that in future, not only he would not go near Kumaraswamy if they both happened to be in Dharmasthala temple today or elsewhere, but also not respond to any of his allegation. But as a politician, is it a wise decision? No. Either he himself must answer the allegation or let his “Knights” to do the job. In politics, silence is a sure road to oblivion.

Now let me come to the question whether pledging before the God of one's veracity of conduct, utterance or allegation against another is acceptable or not. I honestly believe it is acceptable. Acceptable because it is part of Hindu tradition, belief and has great sanctity attached to such “Aane”, pledge or swearing.

Just as we swear upon our father and mother routinely in our daily life, so also we swear upon God. When we do so, we do so with responsibility and with all seriousness. If not, we show it in our body language or words with a smirk or smile, almost as a joke. But when such an “Aane”, pledge is before a deity accepted as “powerful” by millions of believers, there is no room for trivialising it. When many disputes of complex nature are resolved by this method by mutually consenting parties, why not this one? After all, both Yeddyurappa and Kumaraswamy are ready and consenting to swear before Lord Manjunath. Why come in their way? Who is afraid? Certainly not the persons involved. It is other politicians and our religious leaders. But now, it is Yeddyurappa who has backtracked and fooled the people taking cover under the advice of Swamies and Nitin Gadkari.

Why?
I know the answer. It is how politics is played and people are fooled. Since this is harmless fooling, it is okay. But let us not allow them to fool us when the next election comes.

Tail Piece:
When Veerappa Moily, now the Union Law Minister, who was in the Opposition in 1983, challenged late Minister C. Byre Gowda to swear before Dharmasthala deity saying that Moily had indeed offered Gowda an inducement of Rs. 2 lakh and he had a tape in this regard, nobody protested or objected. Of course, the issue was not pursued.

• As for H. D. Kumaraswamy, this is the second time BJP is pushing him into this kind of predicament. A year ago, Shobha Karandlaje, now Energy Minister, had challenged Kumaraswamy to appear before Dharmasthala deity after he accused her of owning a huge coffee plantation in Kodagu district. She denied it, but Kumaraswamy said it could be benami. Of course, the issue was not pursued.
• And this time too the issue was not pressed. Happy ending.

Now whoever should the Aam Admi believe — B. S. Yeddyurappa or H. D. Kumaraswamy?