ED Targeting Opposition, More Ministers May Face Raids: DK Shivakumar
"They are trying to trap the Congress party and opposition party people. They are not touching anyone from the BJP who transferred or was involved in transactions outside" he alleged
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Friday claimed that three or four more ministers could be targeted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), and termed the recent searches at properties linked to PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi as "politics".
ED officers conducted searches at properties linked to Jarkiholi, his relatives and associates in Karnataka over the last two days.
"Yes, I have met Jarkiholi. He is my colleague. He has done no wrong. Jarkiholi is involved in business transactions within the framework of law. Is there something wrong with people going abroad and understanding the business there?" Shivakumar said in response to a question about his visit to Jarkiholi late on Thursday night.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "This is nothing but politics. I am aware that it will be done against three or four more people. They are trapping people. They are trying to trap the Congress party and opposition party people. They are not touching anyone from the BJP who transferred or was involved in transactions outside. They are only targeting our party people."
Shivakumar met Jarkiholi at the latter's residence here late on Thursday after the ED concluded its searches, according to official sources.
Earlier, several Congress leaders and ministers, including KPCC chief B K Hariprasad, had met the PWD minister soon after the searches ended.
Asked about the opposition's criticism of the Karnataka government's decision to limit the singing of Vande Mataram to two stanzas at official events, the CM accused the BJP of politicising the issue concerning the national song.
"On the Vande Mataram issue, we have followed what has been our party's stand for a long time. They (BJP) are trying to do their politics. We (Congress) respect Vande Mataram. It is we who brought Vande Mataram, the national flag, the national anthem, independence, democracy and the constitution," he said.
The Congress government in Karnataka has ordered that only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram be sung at its programmes, except those attended by the president, vice-president, prime minister or governor.
In January, the union Home ministry directed that all six stanzas of Vande Mataram be sung before the National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana, when both are played together.
The directive was issued as the Centre marked the 150th year of Vande Mataram. However, the Congress Working Committee decided on August 19 to abide by its 1937 resolution on Vande Mataram, under which only two stanzas of the National Song would be sung at party events.
The opposition BJP in Karnataka has criticised the Congress government's decision, terming it "appeasement politics".
