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Janadhikara Sangharsha Parishat (JSP), a group involved in anti-corruption campaigns, filed a complaint on Friday with the Lokayukta police alleging that chief reporters at a prominent English and Kannada daily were given bribes in the guise of Diwali gifts by the media coordinator to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.
According to sources of news agency IANS, Bommai’s close associates allegedly distributed a box containing sweets and Rs 1-2.50 lakh in cash to senior journalists in the state. Following the incident, the social media is abuzz with memes and reactions trolling the chief minister for bribing the mediapersons.
As per The News Minute reports, Karnataka CM Bommai has said that he was unaware of money given to journalists in a Deepavali gift hamper delivered by a member of his staff.
The social media posts have also targeted journalists branding them as “shameless” and asking them to return the cash.
Disappointed over exclusion from it, some of the journalists highlighted the issue, whereas some of the senior journalists returned the gifts.
Two of the editors have also written to Chief Minister Bommai condemning the act. However, the chief minister claimed that he was unaware of the development. He also called up the editors and apologised, the sources said.
Meanwhile, opposition party Congress has targetted ruling BJP over the issue and demanded a probe into it.
