Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge on Wednesday accused the central government of deploying the Enforcement Directorate, Income Tax Department and CBI as instruments of political vendetta. Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, he pointed to what he called a telling statistic — a conviction rate below two percent from thousands of searches conducted over twelve years across India.
“What does that tell you? Can anyone still claim these actions are not politically driven?” Kharge asked. The state home minister asserted that the three agencies were “unleashed whenever required” by the ruling dispensation at the Centre.
Kharge argued that repeated statements from BJP leaders, suggesting that central agencies could be turned against Congress figures, only reinforced the belief that such probes were motivated by politics. When asked if he himself could be targeted, he said it was “quite possible.” He added, “If it is going to happen, it will happen sooner or later. Sitting BJP MPs and MLAs issue threats openly — on social media, in calls. What is new in this?”
On the proposed Bengaluru visit of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Kharge speculated that Bhagwat might be coming to submit documents. For the past month, the minister has pressed the RSS to disclose details about its registration and finances. “They say Mohan Bhagwat is coming. I do not know if he is bringing the documents. Let us ask him when he arrives,” Kharge remarked.
Asked whether he was preparing for a legal fight with the RSS, Kharge dismissed the idea. “Why should I wage a legal battle? I have done nothing wrong. I have only asked questions. Let them answer,” he said. He added that those he had questioned were resorting to personal attacks instead of addressing the issues. “If they do not mention my name, they do not get any promotion. Whether it is R Ashoka or Tejasvi Surya, they need to mention me,” he noted.
Reiterating his demand for transparency, Kharge said there was nothing improper about seeking documents. “If everything is legal, they could have given me the documents by now. Is it wrong to ask for documents?” he concluded.
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📰 Source: Sahil Online