Bengaluru, Oct 23 (IANS) Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has alleged that an industrialist who met him wearing Meta AI smart glasses may have been attempting to record their conversation as part of a suspected sting operation targeting him and Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan.
In an interview with a prominent Kannada television channel recently, Shivakumar said he became suspicious when the industrialist, who had obtained an appointment through government officials, shifted the conversation from business to political strategies, including booth-level management and political developments.
“God has given me power. When they came to conduct a sting operation on me, nobody told me about it. In my experience, if I look at someone’s face, I can figure out why they have come to meet me and what is on their mind,” Shivakumar said.
He said he meets thousands of people every day and believes he can read their intentions from their faces. Recalling the meeting, he said the industrialist initially spoke about business, as expected, but subsequently took him to an antechamber and opened a laptop.
“He should have spoken to me about business, but he started discussing politics. He explained how booth-level strategies worked and spoke about what they were doing and other political matters. He went on explaining things like a political psephologist. I looked at his face and became suspicious. I then noticed his spectacles, which raised further doubts,” Shivakumar said.
He said he subsequently directed officials to examine the individual’s background and gather information about his meetings with other political leaders.
According to Shivakumar, the background check revealed that the industrialist had worn Meta smart glasses during meetings with him and Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan, but not during meetings with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and a Union Minister.
He also referred to a meeting with an IT Minister, during which the individual allegedly did not wear the glasses.
“He wore the Meta glasses only when he came to V.D. Satheesan and me,” Shivakumar said, citing the information gathered during the background check as the basis for his suspicion.
However, Shivakumar did not name the industrialist or provide public evidence establishing that the glasses had been used to record either meeting. He also did not disclose the identities of the people allegedly involved in the suspected operation.
The Chief Minister said he had obtained documents and maintained records relating to the episode. He indicated that he would disclose further details at an appropriate time.
“I knew who had been given the task. I have obtained documents and kept records. Not now. When the time comes, I will speak about it. This is not the time to discuss the matter,” he said.
Asked why no action had been taken against those allegedly involved in the sting operation, Shivakumar rejected the suggestion that the authorities had remained inactive.
“Who said no action has been taken? You just don’t know. We are not disclosing it, that’s all. We have taken all precautionary measures,” he said.
He maintained that the government had taken steps in response to the suspected operation but declined to provide details of the measures or any action initiated.
Shivakumar further alleged that there was a plan to conduct sting operations targeting ministers in his Cabinet and warned that attempts could be made to entrap them through people working around them, telephone calls or other means.
He said he had cautioned his Cabinet colleagues to remain vigilant and avoid falling into such traps.
“I knew that there was a plan to carry out sting operations against ministers around me. I knew who had been given the task. I indeed cautioned my Cabinet colleagues. As the head of the government, which is like a family, I had to tell them not to get trapped. What’s wrong with that?” he said.
Shivakumar reiterated that he had informed the ministers as a precautionary measure and would reveal further information only when he considered the time appropriate.
He maintained that he had documented the episode and possessed information about those who might have been involved, but said he would not disclose the names or records at this stage.
The allegations have raised questions about the suspected use of wearable technology in political meetings. However, the Chief Minister’s account, as presented in the interview, did not establish that the smart glasses had actually recorded conversations or that a sting operation had been conclusively carried out.
–IANS
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