ED charge sheet against Sonia, Rahul another example of vindictive politics, says CM Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday termed the ED's filing of a charge sheet against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in an alleged money laundering case as vindictive politics by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He said the Centre's act showed that it will not tolerate dissent by those who believe in democracy. "Enforcement Directorate (ED) filing a chargesheet against senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi — who have always posed a formidable challenge to the Union Government — is yet another chapter in the vindictive politics of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah," Siddaramaiah alleged in a statement. This is not merely an act of retribution against two leaders of the Congress party but a clear warning by the Modi Government to opposition parties and all citizens who believe in democracy that dissent will not be tolerated, he alleged.

Siddaramaiah said the Congress party, which has consistently faced such politics of hatred, will once again respond with the strength of truth and justice. "The Modi-led Government has long been misusing the ED — a supposedly autonomous investigative agency — as a political weapon to target opposition leaders. In the latest instance, it has invoked baseless allegations of financial irregularities in the National Herald case to continue its campaign of political vendetta," the Chief Minister alleged. It is evident that this action is being carried out under the direct instructions of Modi and Shah, he charged. "The ED, which repeatedly harassed and mentally pressured senior Congress leaders including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi under the guise of investigation, has now resorted to filing a chargesheet based entirely on fabricated narratives, after failing to find any evidence," Siddaramaiah said. Accordng to him, every Congress worker will take to the streets to protest this authoritarianism. Stating that harassment by the investigation agency was not only a party's issue Siddaramaiah called upon every citizen who believes in democratic values to stand with the Congress.