Rahul harassed out of political vendetta: DKS

Bengaluru: Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar accused the Union Government of misusing investigative agencies to target Rahul Gandhi out of “political hatred.” Responding to media questions at Vidhana Soudha on Monday, DCM Shivakumar said the FIR filed against Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case was unjustified.

“There is a limit to political harassment. In this case, there is absolutely no need for such intimidation. National Herald is not the personal property of Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi. As party presidents, they were only custodians of the organisation’s shares,” he explained.

DCM DK Shivakumar noted that just as he and the Chief Minister hold positions in various boards and corporations, they become temporary shareholders due to the roles they occupy. “Once the term is over, the shares are transferred. The same applies here. Since the Nehru era, the Congress president has been responsible for the National Herald Trust. It is a party asset, not a family possession,” he said.

He further emphasised that Young India and National Herald have already been declared as party-owned entities. “Many leaders, from Morarji Desai to Ahmed Patel, took decisions for the welfare of the Congress. When the party once struggled for survival, we pleaded with Sonia Gandhi to take charge. Under her, India saw ten years of strong economic governance. The present harassment is purely political,” he remarked.

Calling the Centre’s actions “immoral and vindictive,” he added, “Even if they send Rahul Gandhi to jail, he will not be shaken. This vendetta politics will not help the BJP. It only damages the Centre’s credibility. Political battles must be fought before the people, not through investigative agencies.”

‘Private breakfast meeting our matter’

When asked about inviting the Chief Minister for breakfast, Shivakumar dismissed controversies saying, “This is between the Chief Minister and me. We work like brothers. The media keeps portraying groups within the Congress, but there are none. We have 140 MLAs supporting us, and we work collectively.”

DCM Shivakumar confirmed that discussions were underway regarding an all-party meeting in Delhi during the Parliament session.

“We must brief our MPs on issues vital to Karnataka’s interests,” he said.

Paying homage to former CM Kengal Hanumanthaiah at Vidhana Soudha, Shivakumar said, “Today we remember the man who built this majestic Vidhana Soudha. Vikas Soudha was built by SM Krishna, and Bengaluru itself was shaped by Kempe Gowda. If the capital had been placed elsewhere, Bengaluru wouldn’t have grown this way.”

He added that Bengaluru remains one of India’s safest and most attractive cities due to its climate and vision of its founders.