BENGALURU: Stating that central investigative agencies were being used to target Opposition leaders, Home Minister Priyank Kharge on Saturday termed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) searches on properties linked to PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi and his family as “politically motivated” and challenged the agency to place the evidence against them in the public domain.
Speaking to reporters, Kharge said the CBI, Income Tax Department and ED were functioning at the direction of the Centre. “CBI, I-T and ED are all caged parrots. They are puppets of the Central government which directs these agencies to torture opposition leaders,” he added. Kharge claimed that 196 raids had been conducted in ten years but had resulted in only two convictions, with 98 per cent of the raids targeting opposition leaders.
Questioning the ED’s release of press notes following the searches, he said allegations could not be treated as established facts merely because the agency had issued a statement. “How many press notes have been issued? 196 press notes have been issued. How many convictions have there been? Two. So what?” he said.
“Are you declaring my colleague guilty based on a press note? In that case, I will issue a press note as he is not guilty. Will you believe it? I will release a press note saying Amit Shah is corrupt; will you believe it?” he said.
He challenged the ED to make the evidence public and said the issue could then be debated in the upcoming three-day special session of the Karnataka legislature. “Present the facts, make them public, and we will debate the matter. Lay whatever evidence you have on the table so that it can be discussed publicly,” he said.
“They (ED) are just spinning stories... We cannot answer rumours. Let them show documents and prove money from which contract was taken from and invested. Where is the money trail?” Show where the money is, show the money trail and specify which contract and how much was taken. Then we can comment. Otherwise, this is the ED’s old SOP (standard operating procedure) to intimidate and threaten,” he said.
The minister also challenged BJP leaders to make their passports available for scrutiny amid allegations concerning overseas travel and investments. Kharge said legitimate overseas investments could not, by themselves, be treated as an offence and asked the Enforcement Directorate to identify the alleged illegal transaction and substantiate it with evidence.
He asked as to why no ED raid occurred despite MLA Basavanagouda Patil Yatnal’s allegations against state BJP president B Y Vijayendra. Kharge challenged all BJP MLAs and former ministers to submit their passports for scrutiny regarding trips to places like Dubai and Mauritius, stating that Congress leaders are ready to submit theirs as well.
“Let the passports be checked to see who went where. We will give our passports. Will the BJP give theirs? Let all BJP MLAs and former ministers provide their passports and let there be an investigation. We are ready to provide ours,” he said.
‘What happened to cases against CM?’
Kharge cited the cases and allegations previously levelled against Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and his family, claiming that they had not withstood judicial scrutiny.
“Look at the allegations made against our CM. What happened to those cases? Nothing stood in the court of law. Did the Central government or BJP apologise for the mental harassment caused to the CM and his family and the character assassination?” he said.
“Those whom the BJP had described as highly corrupt politicians become purified by Ganga water as soon as they join the BJP. All this is politically motivated,” Kharge added.
