Karnataka's Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of misusing the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for political purposes. Gowda claims there has been a 400-fold increase in cases registered under ED supervision since the BJP came to power in 2014.
According to Gowda, approximately 95% of ED cases have been filed against opposition party leaders. He alleges that the BJP is using the ED to destabilize opposition-led state governments, citing examples of raids in Congress-ruled states.
The minister also pointed out that out of 121 raids conducted on political leaders, 115 targeted opposition figures. He mentioned the arrests of chief ministers from Jharkhand and Delhi as examples of the BJP's alleged misuse of government agencies.
Gowda's statements come as 14 political parties have filed a case in the Supreme Court against the Income Tax Department and ED, claiming these agencies are abusing their powers.
The opposition accuses the Modi government of attempting to silence dissenting voices and establish a monopoly of a specific group in the country through these actions.