IT raids happened even during Congress regime: Karnataka Deputy CM

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Govind M Kajrol on Monday said no political motive should be attached to raids by enforcement agencies against some state Congress leaders in recent weeks.

Last week, income tax officials had raided multiple places linked to former Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara and his associates. The state Congress leaders had alleged that their party members were being targeted.

"In 70 years of the country's independence, the Income Tax Department and Enforcement Directorate have raided many people. These constitutional bodies are working within the law. It is not good to attach political motive to such raids," Kajrol told reporters here.

The income tax officials have raided not only Congress leaders but also the members of other political parties. It is not fair to blame the BJP or Prime Minister Narendra Modi for these raids, he said.

"IT raids had happened even during the Congress regime. Should we say they were done with a political motive?" he added.

Asked about Congress leader and former chief minister Siddaramaiah's invitation to take back rebel Congress MLAs into the party fold, Karjol said: "I don't want to comment on internal matter of Congress. I will talk when that situation comes."
He also rubbished the Janata Dal (Secular)'s charge that the state government was taking bribe for release of flood relief. "I will challenge Kumaraswamy (JDS leader and former chief minister) if he proves this."