Karnataka Congress Protests ED Actions Amidst Valmiki Corporation Scandal

Karnataka Congress leaders, including CM Siddaramaiah, protested against the ED's alleged arbitrary actions in implicating government officials in the Valmiki Corporation case. They claim the ED is pressurizing officials to falsely name the CM and Deputy CM in the scandal.

In Karnataka, Congress leaders, including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and State Home Minister G. Parameshwara, staged a protest at the Gandhi statue outside Vidhan Soudha on Tuesday. The demonstration was against what they described as the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) arbitrary actions in the ongoing Valmiki Corporation case.

The Congress leaders accuse ED officials of coercing a government officer into giving a statement implicating the Chief Minister. Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar stated, "All legislators, including ministers, are protesting against the ED for forcing the Assistant Director of the Department of Social Welfare to name CM Siddaramaiah. The minister has even resigned to allow a fair investigation."

Minister Priyank Kharge further alleged that the BJP is orchestrating a "surgical strike" on Karnataka's democratically elected government by pressuring state officials to name the CM and Deputy CM in the scandal. The corruption case emerged after an MVDC official's alleged suicide note accused the corporation of multi-crore corruption.

(With inputs from agencies.)