Supporters of D K Shivakumar protest in Bengaluru on Thursday after the news of CBI raids at the premises of his associates spread | vinod kumar t
BENGALURU: On a day when the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raided his associates, senior Congress leader D K Shivakumar hit back at the Central government by saying arm twisting and intimidating tactics won't work with them.
Speaking to mediapersons at their residence in the city, the former minister and his brother and Congress MP D K Suresh accused the BJP government at the Centre of misusing agencies like Income Tax Department, Enforcement Directorate and now CBI to harass them. CBI has taken search warrants against 11 people including Suresh, the former minister said. The Congress leaders said they were under constant pressure from BJP leaders since Gujarat MLAs had arrived in the state last year during the Rajya Sabha polls in that state.
"Politically, there is a big pressure on us and we are being harassed. I do not want to reveal their names, but they tried to arm twist and give us a message. Let me make it very clear to them, threatening and arm twisting will not work. Let them do anything, we are ready to face any consequences," Shivakumar said.
The former minister said his entire family is being harassed for the last seven to eight months. "We have full faith in the judiciary. The entire country is watching us, let us play fair politics," he said recalling the IT raids conducted at his residence last year. IT raids were conducted at several places including Shivakumar's relatives and associates. "Some officials felt sorry for what they were doing. But they had to do it," he said.
His brother Suresh said BJP central leaders tried to threaten them in the last 15 days. "Amit Shah and Narendra Modi are directly responsible for misuse of agencies like ED, IT and now CBI. They are using these agencies to take political revenge. Our family is being targeted. However, we want to tell our friends in the BJP that D K Shivakumar and D K Suresh will not be scared of such tactics," he added.
Former CM and Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister Parameshwara came to Shivakumar's rescue by stating that the Centre is misusing CBI to threaten Congress leaders." There won't be much legal standing for the raids conducted with a mala fide intention on D K Shivakumar," Siddaramaiah said.
Shivakumar had played key role in moving Congress MLAs to a resort when the BJP was allegedly trying to reach out to them seeking their help during B S Yeddyurappa's trust vote. Failing to get the required number of MLAs to prove a majority on the floor of the House, Yeddyurappa resigned and JD(S) and Congress combine formed the government.
