Dalit Sangharsha Samiti protests in Kalaburagi over alleged misuse of ED, CBI and IT
Members of a faction of the Karnataka Rajya Dalit Sangharsha Samiti (KRDSS) staged a protest in Kalaburagi city on Monday, alleging that the BJP-led Union government has been misusing constitutional institutions and Central investigative agencies for political purposes. The protesters said their memorandum was addressed to the President of India and routed through the State government.
The demonstration was led by the samiti's district convener, Basavaraj T. Badihal, who said the memorandum set out the organisation's concerns about the functioning of agencies such as the Directorate of Enforcement (ED), the Income Tax Department and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Mr. Badihal alleged that these agencies were being used to target leaders of Opposition parties and to weaken non-BJP governments in the States. He claimed that such action was intended to intimidate political leaders, including those from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, backward and minority communities, and to pressure them into joining the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.
The protesters also condemned recent ED raids on Dalit Ministers in Karnataka, describing them as politically motivated action against Opposition leaders. They called for the protection of the autonomy of constitutional and statutory institutions, naming the Election Commission, the ED, the Income Tax Department and the CBI among those they said must be allowed to function independently.
The samiti demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls was being carried out in an undemocratic manner. It urged the judiciary to intervene against what it described as the misuse of independent institutions for political gain and to initiate appropriate legal action.
The protest passed off peacefully, with participants submitting their memorandum and dispersing.
Context
Allegations of political pressure on Central agencies have been raised by several Opposition parties in recent years, and similar concerns have been voiced by civil society groups. The Union government has repeatedly rejected these allegations, maintaining that enforcement agencies act on the basis of evidence and in accordance with the law, and that investigations are subject to scrutiny by courts. Persons named in such cases can seek redressal through the judicial process.
On the electoral roll exercise, the Election Commission has said the Special Intensive Revision is aimed at removing duplicate, dead and shifted entries and is being carried out according to its statutory powers. Several Opposition parties have questioned the manner in which it is being conducted and have sought clarification from the Commission.
The KRDSS has multiple factions in Karnataka, and the protest in Kalaburagi was organised by one of them. The claims made at the protest are the organisation's own, and this report does not independently verify them.
