Taking exception to the way that Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Tamil Nadu’s Electricity, Prohibition and Excise Minister V. Senthilbalaji in the early hours of Wednesday, All India Congress Committee (AICC) president M. Mallikarjun Kharge has said that the BJP government at the Centre is harassing and threatening its political rivals.
Speaking to media representatives in Kalaburagi on Wednesday, Mr. Kharge said that the Union government is misusing institutions such as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate to harass and threaten people.
“What was the need to arrest Senthilbalaji in the night? He was not of the nature of those running away from the law. He was not one who will cover his face. He is a reputed man. He is a good Minister of the DMK [Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]. What was the need to arrest such a man at night? If he had done something wrong, he could have been questioned the next morning. You [the Union government] are getting the CBI to raid his residence and office and also getting him arrested by ED at night, I will condemn it,” Mr. Kharge said.
