Karnataka Vidhan Sabha / 18 BJP MLAs suspended from Karnataka Assembly for 6 months, know what is the whole matter?

Karnataka Vidhan Sabha: A big political uproar was seen in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Friday, when the Speaker UT Khader suspended 18 MLAs of the opposition party BJP for six months for disrupting the proceedings of the House. This action was taken when the BJP MLAs demanded a judicial inquiry by a sitting judge of the High Court into the 'honey trap' case that surfaced in the state and created a ruckus on this issue.

Uproar over honey trap case and suspension of BJP MLAs

BJP MLAs raised this issue loudly in the Assembly on Friday. The Speaker suspended 18 MLAs for tearing papers and creating a ruckus in front of the well of the House. After this, Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister HK Patil introduced the bill, recommending the suspension of the MLAs, which was passed in the House.

What is the 'honey trap' case of Karnataka?

Recently a high-profile 'honey trap' scandal has come to light in Karnataka, which has created a stir in the politics of the state. The matter came to light when Cooperation Minister K.N. Rajanna revealed in the Assembly that he himself narrowly escaped being a victim of honey trap. Not only this, he claimed that attempts were made to trap 48 other leaders of the state, MLAs and even some central leaders. This shocking statement has made both the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP uncomfortable.

BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal raised the issue in the House

On March 20, 2025, during the budget session, BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal raised the issue in the Assembly and alleged that 'honey trap' incidents are increasing in Karnataka. He also targeted Cooperation Minister Rajanna and demanded the government to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter. In response, Minister Rajanna admitted that there was an attempt of honey trap against him and the matter is not limited to him alone. He said that Karnataka has now become a factory of pen drives and CDs, where a large number of leaders and officials have fallen into this trap.

Minister Satish Jarkiholi also revealed

Public Works Department Minister Satish Jarkiholi also accepted the seriousness of the matter and said that an attempt was made to trap a minister in a honey trap and this happened twice. However, both times the attempt was unsuccessful. Jarkiholi also said that honey trap is not a new thing in Karnataka, but it has been present in the political system for the last 20 years. He talked about using it as an 'investment' in politics and suggested that the victim minister should file a complaint with the police so that the culprits can be identified.

Opposition's demand: Investigation should be done by a High Court judge

BJP and other opposition parties, considering the seriousness of the matter, have demanded a judicial inquiry by a sitting judge of the High Court. They allege that the government is trying to suppress the matter and an impartial investigation is needed.

Political impact and way forward

The suspension of 18 BJP MLAs may weaken the party's position in the Assembly, while Congress may get some relief from this. This entire incident has caused a big upheaval in the state's politics. Now it remains to be seen how the government takes forward the investigation of this controversial honey trap case and how much the opposition parties are able to cash in on it among the public by making it an election issue.