ED raids: Political vendetta, cries Congress

BENGALURU: Karnataka Congress leaders slammed the BJP government for using the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to target senior party leaders, after Opposition leader in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge was summoned by the agency during the Parliament session.

“The BJP continues its political vendetta by targeting Congress leaders. The ED summoned Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, and this is a ploy of the BJP to disrupt the parliamentary session and divert the attention of the people from their failures,’’ Opposition leader Siddaramaiah said.

After 75-year-old Sonia Gandhi was interrogated by the ED recently, it was the turn of 80-year-old Mal l ikar jun Kharge to be grilled in the National Herald case for the second time. He was earlier questioned in April. Kharge, who represents Karnataka in the Rajya Sabha, said,

“I was summoned by the ED while I was in Parliament, questioning the incompetent Modi government. I obliged. I was to host dinner for vicepresidential candidate Margaret Alvaji. I was held back unreasonably.’’

‘’Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, has been undergoing interrogation by the ED for the last four-and-half hours. His ordeal is continuing. The entire Congress stands with him in solidarity,’’ said MP RS Jairam Ramesh, Rajya Sabha MP f rom Karnataka. Other Congress leaders too expressed their concern. PCC president DK Shivakumar, who himself was subject to IT and ED raids, said, “The questioning of Mallikarjun Kharge is political vendetta.’’