Karnataka: Govt should reveal reasons for raiding PFI leaders, says JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy

“If the (state) government fails to do so, we will have to believe that these raids are being conducted to divert attention from the allegations of corruption against the government,” the former chief minister said.

“The government should reveal the details of the discoveries made and other documents to the people of the state. If they fail to reveal the truth behind the raids, people will suspect that these raids are being made to divert attention from the ‘PayCM’ campaign of the Congress,” he said.

‘PayCM’ refers to the campaign run by the Congress with posters resembling the design and logo of a popular digital payments company. The posters carry the image of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai in a QR code format and were plastered in different parts of the state, leading to a war of words between the BJP government and Opposition Congress.

“…none of the communities in the state should be made to feel anxious or insecure. If they have found any information on anti-national activities, it should be divulged. The government should not wiggle out of this by giving lame excuses,” the JD(S) leader said.

Kumaraswamy is the first prominent political leader in Karnataka to demand details on the raids carried out by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the state police.

Earlier this week, activist Vinay Sreenivasa questioned the raids, asking how could the government invoke sections involving waging war against the country in the FIRs against PFI leaders when there wasn’t any evidence of a crime. “This makes it clear that they are being targeted as they are questioning the policies of the government,” he had said.