‘High-Handedness, Vendetta Politics’: Cong on Shivakumar’s Arrest

After Senior Congress leader DK Shivakumar was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) late on Tuesday, 3 September under Prevention of Money Laundering Act, several Opposition leaders in Karnataka condemned the move.

They alleged that Shivakumar is a victim of vendetta politics and that the BJP government is merely attempting to divert attention from a failing economy.

The official account of the Indian National Congress tweeted out against the arrest, calling it an attempt by the government to “distract the public from their failed policies and the sorry state of the economy.”

We strongly condemn the high-handed tactics & vendetta politics being deployed against Congress leaders. The arrest of Shri @DKShivakumar is yet another attempt by the govt to distract the public from their failed policies & the sorry state of the economy.#BJPVendettaPolitics

— Congress (@INCIndia) September 3, 2019

All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary KC Venugopal called the arrest “a clear case of political vendetta by the fascist BJP government at the centre.”

The BJP government is desperately trying to hide its outright failure in checking the economic slow down and financial crisis with shameless harassment of political opponents. (3/3)

— K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) September 3, 2019

Former Karnataka chief ministers Siddaramaiah and HD Kumaraswamy also took to Twitter to condemn Shivakumar’s arrest.

After days of interrogation, without allowing even a day's break for the festival, ED now cites non-cooperation to arrest @DKShivakumar. The ruling govt is using investigation agencies to oppress those opposition leaders who they think are a threat to their interests.

— H D Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) September 3, 2019

.@DKShivakumar will definitely come out clean & the whole country will understand the ulterior motives of @BJP4India. We are all with him in this difficult times & shall provide him with full support.

2/2

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) September 3, 2019

Vindictively targeting opposition leaders, using agencies to harass & humiliate them is a specific agenda of BJP.

⁦@DKShivakumar⁩ has been bearing the brunt since two years.

We are with him in this fight against an authoritarian regime.https://t.co/hNopyL05qm

— Dinesh Gundu Rao / ದಿನೇಶ್ ಗುಂಡೂರಾವ್ (@dineshgrao) September 3, 2019

CBI, IT, ED & other agencies go slow against cases of BJP while fast track opposition’s.
What happened to
-BJP MLA who tried to bribe judge
-Notice served for lavish wedding
-Mining cases of Goa/K’taka
-TDP MPs who joined BJP
-Goa MLAs who joined BJP
-Mr. Roy/Mr. Sarma

— Priyank Kharge (@PriyankKharge) September 3, 2019