Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge seeks resignation of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, other BJP leaders

There are FIRs against 23 ministers, including Union Industries Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, in the Narendra Modi government, Minister Priyank Kharge alleged and defended Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the alleged MUDA scam.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge on Sunday (September 29, 2024) demanded the resignation of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman after a First Information Report (FIR) was registered against her in Bengaluru, following a court direction for allegedly extorting money through now scrapped electoral bonds.

Ms. Sitharaman represents Karnataka in the Rajya Sabha. The Tilak Nagar police in Bengaluru registered the FIR against her on September 28, 2024.

The FIR was registered based on a petition filed by the Janadhikara Sangharsh Parishath (NGO). It was filed based on court directions, charging the accused under sections 384 (punishment for extortion) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) read with 34 (acts done with common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). ED officials, office-bearers of the BJP at the state and national level, BJP Karnataka chief B.Y. Vijayendra, party leader Nalin Kumar Kateel have also been named in the FIR.

Valid grounds for FIR

Addressing presspersons at the Congress party office here, Mr. Kharge alleged that companies which incurred huge losses have made major donations to the BJP through the Electoral Bond scheme and the court found valid grounds to direct the police to register the FIR against Sitharaman, and BJP leaders.

“If you have morality, then drive out former BJP Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and his son B.Y. Vijayendra who is also the Karnataka BJP president. Sack Nirmala Sitharaman and Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R. Ashoka,” Mr. Kharge said. He also added, “MLA Munirathna should be expelled from the BJP for his alleged involvement in a rape case.”

Mr. Kharge said, “Don’t scare Congress leaders with the offices of the Central Bureau of Investigation, Enforcement Directorate and the Raj Bhavan. This is the Standard Operating Procedure of the BJP. We will not be scared. We have a history of 140 years of struggle and will continue our struggle for another 140 years. We grew up fighting against your policies and principles. First, put your house in order before coming for us.”

Misuse of central agencies in non-BJP ruled states

There are FIRs against 23 ministers, including Union Industries Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, in the Narendra Modi government, Mr. Kharge alleged and defended Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the alleged MUDA scam.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have been using central probe agencies in non-BJP ruled states where the BJP was weak, he alleged.

The Supreme Court, too, had called the Electoral Bond scheme as “unconstitutional”, he said. A total of 33 companies running at a loss of ₹1 lakh crore have donated ₹572 crore to the BJP. Another six companies which have shown a positive net profit have donated ₹646 crore to the ruling BJP, which is more than their aggregate net profit. Three companies, which had positive net profit but reported negative direct taxes, have donated ₹193.8 crore to the BJP, the Congress Minister claimed.

He lashed out at Union Minister Pralhad Joshi for his alleged statement that Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and MP Sonia Gandhi were into money laundering and they should be jailed first. “You (BJP) have been in power for the past 10 years. What did you do all these years?” the minister asked.

Petition against Kharge

On August 27, 2024, Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Legislative Council Chalavadi T. Narayanaswamy petitioned Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot seeking the dismissal of Mr. Kharge from Cabinet over the alleged allotment of five acres to the Siddhartha Vihar Trust run by AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge’s family at a Hi­tech Defence Aerospace Park near Bengaluru out of the 45.94 acres earmarked for civic amenities (CA) in March 2024.

Mr. Narayanaswamy claimed that the Trust gets allotted five acres under the Scheduled Caste Quota by the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board.