Kumaraswamy dubs raid on JD(S) leaders as politically motivated

Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy said on Thursday that the income tax raid on JD(S) leaders overseeing the electioneering of his son Nikhil Kumaraswamy in Mandya and nephew Prajwal Revanna in Hassan was "politically motivated" and he would stage a demonstration against it in Bengaluru along with Congress leaders.

"I am going to stage a demonstration in Bengaluru. Let the whole nation see how the income tax department is being misused. These raids are politically motivated," a visibly upset Kumaraswamy told reporters in Mysuru.

The pre-dawn raids at 15 to 20 places triggered an angry backlash from Congress as well as JD(S) leaders.

More importantly, the raids were on people who were monitoring the electioneering of the two belonging to the Gowda family, including state minor irrigation minister C S Puttaraju and his nephew Ashok, who is a district Panchayat member in Mysuru.

Nikhil Kumaraswamy and Prajwal Revanna are testing political waters for the first time under the tutelage of Kumaraswamy and PWD minister H D Revanna.

Asserting that he had predicted the raids Wednesday night itself, Kumaraswamy said for the first time the I-T officials raided government offices too, such as PWD office in Hassan and Tahsildar office in Kanakapura.

Accusing the principal chief commissioner of income tax department (Karnataka-Goa region) B R Balakrishnan of acting as a "political agent", the chief minister said he was eyeing on a gubernatorial position post retirement.

"A BJP leader sends list of people to Amit Shah, who eventually forwards it to Balakrishnan to carry out raids. Balakrishnan is acting as an agent of BJP. It seems that he wants a post retirement position such as governor of some state," he added.

Kumaraswamy questioned BJP state chief B S Yeddyurappa as to whether he could win elections without money.

"Note counting machine was found during raids at BJP leaders' houses. They are now teaching us about honesty. Did the I-T officials find note counting machine at Puttaraju's house? They are out to frighten us but the fact is the BJP is shaken and wants to win election by intimidating us. We are not the ones who get scared," said the chief minister.

The raids did not perturb Revanna. Speaking to reporters in Hassan, he said, "So long as I have the blessings of Sringeri Sharadamba and Shankaracharya, nothing will happen...Anybody conspiring against me or trying black magic will be destroyed. I am so well protected."