Shivamogga Congress members stage protest against I-T raid

Condemning the raids conducted by sleuths of Income Tax (IT) Department on the premises of Energy Minister D.K. Shivakumar, the activists of Shivamogga District Congress Committee (SDCC) staged a protest in the city on Thursday.

Addressing the protest meet, president of SDCC T.N. Srinivas said that the raids were politically motivated. He alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance Government in the Centre was misusing agencies such as IT Department and Central Bureau of Investigation for political vendetta.

Questioning the timing of the raid, he said, the raids were conducted to intimidate the Congress MLAs from Gujarat who are staying in a resort near Bengaluru with Mr. Shivakumar. He alleged that the IT raid stands as an example for the indulgence of BJP in blatant misuse of power.

Mr. Srinivas said after demonetisation, similar raids were conducted on leaders of opposition parties. Though many top leaders of BJP in Karnataka were facing allegations of owning assets disproportionate to their known source of income, the IT sleuths have not conducted any search operations on their premises.

He expressed displeasure against deployment of Central Reserve Police Force personnel during the raid.

The protesters formed a human chain at Mahaveer Circle, affecting traffic for sometime. Functionaries of SDCC Vijayalakshmi Patil. P.V. Vishwanath, Devendrappa took part in the protest.