Congress on Wednesday condemned the Enforcement Directorate’s searches on institutions linked to Karnataka home minister Dr. G. Parameshwara at Tumakuru, calling it a targeted attempt to silence a prominent Dalit leader and deflect attention from corruption under previous BJP governments.

Congress general secretary in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala pointed out that Parameshwara was a tall SC (Scheduled Caste) leader and said:

"The constant assault on the Constitution and leaders of SC/ST and OBC communities across India has become a habitual pattern. The revenge seeking against Parameshwara is part of this sinister design," he said in a post on 'X'.

“It is indeed surprising that after 46 years of setting up of this institution, the Modi government is searching for wrongdoing, while the BJP’s corruption in Karnataka is being actively investigated by the Home Ministry and Dr Parameshwara.”

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted searches at educational institutions linked to Karnataka Home minister G. Parameshwara at Tumakuru and on the outskirts of Bengaluru on Wednesday.

The searches took place Sri Siddhartha Medical College and Sri Siddhartha Institute Of Technology in Tumakuru and Sri Siddhartha Institute Of Medical Sciences in Nelamangala on the outskirts of Bengaluru.

Parameshwara has run Siddartha Institute of Technology, set up 46 years ago in 1979, and Siddartha Medical College, Tumkur, set up 28 years ago in 1988.

Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah refused to comment on the ED searches and said that he was not aware of it. But deputy chief minister D.K. Shivakumar on Wednesday said that the leader is a very "decent" and "simple" man, ANI reported.

Shivakumar said, "I am sure that in no way my Home Minister is involved in any case. He is a very decent and simple man. No way G Parameshwara is involved in such a type of case."

Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said, "The INC condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the ED raids on the Home Minister of Karnataka. Dr. G. Parameshwara is one of the senior-most political leaders of the country who has made great contributions to the cause of education, particularly that of the weaker sections of society." "The ED actions undertaken at the behest of the prime minister himself reflect the politics of harassment, vendetta, and intimidation of which he is the master," he said.

The BJP is clearly nervous and worried by the achievements of the Karnataka government over the past two years, he said.

"We will not be silenced. We will continue to hold the PM to account for his multiple failures on multiple fronts," Ramesh said.