IT raids on K'taka Minister DK Shivakumar: War of words between the BJP and Cong

The Income Tax raids that started in the early hours of Wednesday on Karnataka Energy Minister DK Shivakumar at multiple locations across the country, has triggered a war of words between the Congress and the BJP. The raids have even led to ruckus in the upper house of the Parliament.

 

Uproar in Rajya Sabha by Congress over IT raids in Bengaluru pic.twitter.com/OBcgKiissB

— ANI (@ANI_news) August 2, 2017

 

Rajya Sabha adjourned till 11.37 am after uproar by Congress over IT raids in Bengaluru

— ANI (@ANI_news) August 2, 2017

 

 

The Congress has alleged that the “dirty tricks” department of the BJP was at play and called the raids a “witch hunt”. The Congress has alleged that the  raids were carried out just after DK Shivakumar and his brother MP DK Suresh were given the task of taking care of 44 Gujarat MLAs of the Congress who have been staying at Bengaluru. The Gujarat MLAs had been staying at the posh Eagleton Golf Village in Ramanagara, in the outskirts of Bengaluru. This after six party MLAs were poached by the BJP ahead of Rajya Sabha elections in the western state.

 

Earlier in the Rajya Sabha, Congress leader Anand Sharma said, “The minister & his brother, an elected representative, are coordinating stay of Gujarat MLAs, that is why it is a targeted timing.”

 

“It is now becoming a trend to blatantly misuse powers of the state,” he added.

 

Replying to the Congress, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told the house  “No search has taken place in the resort as such and no MLA was searched, only one particular Ktka minister was searched".

 

Ahmed Patel, Congress Working Committee member and MP from Gujarat tweeted, “BJP is on an unprecedented witch-hunt just to win one Rajya Sabha seat.” 

 

He added, “After using the state machinery and every other agency, these I-T raids show their utter desperation & frustration.”

 

BJP is on an unprecedented witch-hunt just to win one Rajya Sabha seat

— Ahmed Patel (@ahmedpatel) August 2, 2017

 

After using the state machinery and every other agency,these I-T raids show their utter desperation & frustration

— Ahmed Patel (@ahmedpatel) August 2, 2017

 

 

The Income Tax Department in a statement earlier on Wednesday had said that although I-T sleuths were present at the resort, only  Shivakumar’s room had bee  searched. Shivakumar was later escorted to the Department’s office in the city for questioning and then taken to his residence.   

 

Shivakumar who was in Delhi had reportedly returned from Delhi at 1230am on Wednesday morning and reached the resort after he was informed about the raids. 

 

“It can be that timing of the raid is ‘political’ but something important might surface”, JD (U)’s KC Tyagi told news agency ANI when asked about the issue.

 

Ho sakta hai raid ki timing political ho,par kuch maamle agar nikalte hain to ye mahatvapurn hoga: KC Tyagi,JDU on IT raids in Bengaluru pic.twitter.com/Fp5JZZrKoH

— ANI (@ANI_news) August 2, 2017

 

Earlier Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan told media persons that the raid was carried out in accordance with law.

 

"Rules are same for everybody," he said.

 

Niyam sab ke liye ek hota hai.Congress ke paap ka ghada bhar chuka hai: Dharmendra Pradhan,Union Minister on IT raids in Bengaluru pic.twitter.com/S8UiKJqBuH

— ANI (@ANI_news) August 2, 2017

 

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi has also spoken to Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah over the raids, according to reports.

 

"It's a political vendetta by a desperate party (BJP) and its governments in the state (Gujarat) and in Delhi to frighten the opposition," party's state unit spokesman Dinesh Gundu Rao told reporters