BENGALURU: With opposition Congress terming the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raids on its state unit president DK Shivakumar’s residence as a “politically motivated” move to derail its by-poll preparations, the ruling BJP leaders in the state, including ministers, dismissed the allegations.The CBI raids are not politically motivated and have no link to the bye-lections, said Deputy Chief Minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayana.
The Income-Tax Department and the Enforcement Directorate officials had earlier conducted raids at Shivakumar’s residence and the CBI probe may be in continuation of the investigations by the central agencies, he said adding that it is an opportunity for Shivakumar to prove his honesty. “It is not correct to politicise the raids. Some people are trying to gain political mileage by trying to politicise the raids,” he added.
The BJP has an absolute majority with 117 members in the assembly and the by-poll results will not have any impact on the government, Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar told reporters in Mysuru.Dismissing the allegations that the raids were politically motivated, the minister said the BJP did not believe in “vendetta politics”. “If that were the case, there are other leaders like Siddaramaiah who had led the government for five years. Why hasn’t he been subjected to CBI raids?” he said.
“Even in the past, Shivakumar’s house was raided, and the one conducted now was a continuation of the legal process. The CBI and the ED are autonomous and independent agencies. Instead of crying foul, we must leave the agencies to do their job honestly and transparently,” he said. “Shivakumar will come clean if he is honest as he claims to be.”
BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel said Congress leaders, who are condemning the CBI raids, are not talking about “violations by Shivakumar.”BJP state spokesperson Capt Ganesh Karnik said leaders of Congress that was in power at the Centre and state for so many years should have clearly understood how the Central agencies function. The CBI, I-T and ED are autonomous institutions and are free to take action against those involved in financial fraud and illegal activities, he added.