Central agencies are BJP's frontal organisations, says Priyank Kharge

Kalaburagi: Rural Development and Panchayat Raj and Kalaburagi district Minister Priyank Kharge has alleged that the central agencies like Enforcement Directorate and Income Tax are functioning like frontal organisations of BJP.

Reacting to I-T notices served on Congress, asking it to pay over Rs 1,800 crore, Priyank told reporters here that the government was misusing these agencies. 

Noting that the Centre was resorting to tax terrorism by issuing notices without assessment order, he said I-T department had not issued notice to BJP, despite it receiving crores of rupees in donations, without names and addresses of the donors.

“A diary purportedly written by Yediyurappa showing payments to BJP leaders was found in his possession when he was CM. Also a note-counting machine was found at BJP leader K S Eshwarappa’s house. Why no probe was instituted against them?,” he said.

Expressing confidence of I.N.D.I.A. gaining power at the Centre, he said BJP leaders are fearing defeat in the election as their party will not win more than 200 seats as per internal assessment conducted by it. 

“Parties should furnish details to Election Commission, if anyone gives donation. It publishes the info on its website. We are surprised about the I-T move to issue notice based on it.”

Replying to a query on the measures to address water woes in the district, the minister said, “We have written to Maharashtra government, urging it to release water from Ujani dam to Bhima river. We have not received any response so far. Plans are afoot to send a delegation to Maharashtra, for which we need to take permission of Election Commission,” he added.