Govt 'targeting' political opponents with false cases: Congress

The Congress accused the Centre of targeted harassment of its leaders to divert the attention of people from its failures as senior party leader D K Shivakumar was questioned by the ED for the second consecutive day on Saturday in a money laundering case.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala in a statement said that in the last five years, the Narendra Modi-led government has been targeting its political opponents by fabricating false cases with political vendetta in mind.

"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," Surjewala said.

He claimed that it is a matter of public knowledge that Shivakumar has been fully cooperating with all agencies and has appeared as required from time to time.

"We strongly condemn the highhanded tactics and illegal processes being deployed against Congress leader Shri Shivakumar," he said.

"It is reiterated that for all these acts of mindless vendetta on part of the government and its puppet agencies, the Congress party will continue to point out, oppose and 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," the Congress leader said.

Senior Karnataka leader Shivakumar was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for over four hours in a money laundering case on Friday.

Officials said Shivakumar's statement has been recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

Shivakumar is learnt to have deposed before the probe agency again on Saturday after the investigating officer asked him to do so.