Congress slams Shivakumar's arrest, says Centre framing opponents

Former Karnataka Minister DK Shivakumar. Pic/PTI

Congress on Tuesday accused the government of "fabricating its political opponents in false cases to divert people's attention from its massive failures", reported ANI. The party further said the government had resorted to "high-handed tactics" in arresting party leader DK Shivakumar in a money laundering case.

The Congress Communications Incharge Randeep Singh Surjewala released a statement in which he said,"The continuous and targeted harassment of opposition leaders by the government with the sole aim of diverting the attention of the people from its massive failures continues unabated. For the last five years, the Modi government has been targeting its political opponents by fabricating false cases with political vendetta and vengeance."

He further added that the Congress party will continue to oppose such "acts of mindless vendetta on part of the Government and its puppet agencies."

Surjewala also said in the statement that the party will continue to protest against the "blunders being deliberately committed by the Government on various fronts, the gravest being that of annihilation of the Indian economy and pauperisation of its people."

Also Read: 'I will fully cooperate with you': DK Shivakumar tells ED; to appear again today

Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also alleged that opposition leaders were being targeted in an attempt to divert the attention from structural failures of the Centre and "to prevent the voices of dissent".

The Congress leader took to Twitter saying that DK Shivakumar is also a victim of their vindictive politics. He assured that Shivakumar will come out clean and the whole country will understand the ulterior motives of the ruling government. "We are all with him in this difficult times," Siddaramaiah further said.

Earlier, Shivakumar took a dig at BJP and congratulated them for "finally being successful in their mission" of getting him arrested.

The Congress leader maintained that he has done nothing "illegal" and said that he will emerge "victorious both legally and politically". The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Shivakumar in connection with an alleged money laundering case on Tuesday evening.

Also Read: Cong MLA Shivakumar moves HC seeking protection from arrest

On August 29, the Karnataka High Court dismissed his petition challenging the summons issued by the ED in December last year. Later that night, he was summoned by the ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and was asked to appear before it on August 30, following which he was interrogated for four days, ANI reported.

The 57-year-old leader has been asserting that he has not done anything wrong and will fully cooperate with the investigating agency.

With inputs from ANI

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