I-T raids on Shivakumar continue, mother blames CM Siddaramaiah

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, August 4, 2017: Congress activists may be burning effigies of BJP head honchos Narendra Modi and Amit Shah in the backdrop of income tax raids on D K Shivakumar, but the Congress strongman’s mother Gowramma thinks chief minister Siddaramaiah is the man behind the raids.

"Siddaramaiah has always been sharpening the knife against my son. He could be behind the I-T raids," Gowramma told reporters who visited her house in Kanakapura taluk. Gowramma’s house was also searched by I-T de par tment of ficials till 2.30am Thursday.

Gowramma (in pic) said her son had many enemies in political circles, including the Congress, as he was scaling the political ladder quickly. Suspecting a conspiracy against him, she said: "They are jealous of my son, they want to har m him. Siddaramaiah makes use of my son and has repeatedly betrayed him."

The allegations by Kumar’s mother baffled journalists, as she was taking potshots at the CM at a time when Congress leaders, including Siddaramaiah, have criticized the BJP central leadership for unleashing the I-T department against Kumar. A Congress leader said: "We don’t know why she is speaking against Siddaramai ah. Maybe her statements were based on what she has been told about her son’s political equation with Siddaramaiah."

Gowramma continued: "My sons (Shivakumar and D K Suresh) have been toiling to build the party. In fact, Siddaramaiah progressed in his political life because of Shivakumar. But today, Siddaramaiah is announcing Anna Bhagya (distribution of rice) and Ksheera Bhagya (distribution of milk), did he get money for these programmes from his father’s house?" She said her sons were serving the country and have not snatched anything from others. "Why has Siddaramaiah not come out and asked I-T officials why they are raiding my son?" she asked. Later, she said the raids were political vengeance by PM Modi.

The Income Tax raids on the residences and offices of Karnataka Energy Minister D.K. Shivakumar and his close family and aides continued for the third day on Friday.