ED raids institutions tied to Karnataka Minister

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is conducting searches at educational institutions linked to Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara in Tumakuru and on the outskirts of Bengaluru, official sources said on Wednesday.

According to sources, the searches were underway at Sri Siddhartha Medical College and Sri Siddhartha Institute of Technology in Tumakuru and Sri Siddhartha Institute of Medical Sciences in Nelamangala on the outskirts of Bengaluru.

The reasons for the searches are not yet known.

While Chief Minister did not wish to make any comments on ED searches stating he was not aware of it, Congress General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala while pointing out that Parameshwara was a tall SC leader said that the raids appear to be a desperate attempt to coverup the corruption of previous BJP governments and stifle the voice of those who champion the voice of the oppressed.

"I don't know...I will check and speak," Siddarmaiah said in response to a question on ED raids.

Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said, "I don't know. No way my Home Minister is involved in any such case. He is a decent, simple man...no way Parameshwara is involved in such type of case." "What is there to do it (searches) on educational institutions. I don't have proper information. I get information and react to it," he said.

Congress General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka Surjewala said, Congress government in the state has given property ownership to 1 Lakh SC/ST families on Tuesday at Hospet. This raid on Educational institutions of Karnataka Home Minister Parameshwara, one of the tallest SC leaders, is a frustrated reaction of BJP and Narendra Modi government at the centre.

"The constant assault on Constitution and leaders of SC/ST and OBC communities across India has become a habitual pattern. The revenge seeking against Parameshwara is part of this sinister design," he said in a post on 'X'.

Siddhartha Institute of Technology in Tumakuru, run by Parameshwara, was set up 46 years ago in 1979 and Siddartha Medical College in Tumakuru was set up 28 years ago in 1988 in the rural hinterland of Tumkuru to light the lamp of education, Surjewala said. He also added, it was indeed surprising that after 46 years of setting up of this institution, Modi government is searching for wrongdoing, while BJP’s corruption is being actively investigated by the state's Home ministry and Parameshwara.

"The ED raids appear to be a desperate attempt to coverup the corruption of previous BJP Governments and stifle the voice of those who champion the voice of the oppressed," he said.

"Karnataka Congress will carry forward with the 5 Congress guarantees undeterred and will follow up more rigorously the 6th Congress guarantee of giving ownership of 1 Lakh houses to our brothers and sisters of the SC/ST communities. Truth shall win. Satyamev Jayate," he said.