ED summons Kavitha to Delhi; Witch-hunting, says BRS

The BRS condemned the ED summons to Kavitha, calling it blatant misuse of central agencies against opposition parties and politically motivated witch-hunting

Hyderabad: The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday issued a summons to Bharat Rashtra Samithi MLC K Kavitha in connection with a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy. Kavitha, according to a statement she issued here, was asked to depose on Thursday before the agency in the national capital.

The MLC, who left for Delhi in the evening, has reportedly asked the ED to postpone the deposition to March 15 considering a dharna announced earlier by the Bharat Jagruthi led by her in Delhi and other appointments. The ED is however, yet to respond to the request.

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The BRS has condemned the summons, calling it blatant misuse of central agencies against opposition parties and politically motivated witch-hunting. The BJP’s State leaders meanwhile accused Kavitha of playing the victim card, and claimed the party had nothing to do with the summons.

Earlier in the day, Kavitha said she would not be intimidated by such harassment tactics of the BJP-led Centre. However, as a law-abiding citizen, she would fully cooperate with the investigation agencies, she said, adding that she had sought legal opinion on the date of appearing before the ED.

In her statement, Kavitha said the intimidation tactics of the BJP against Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao and the BRS party would not deter them. Under the leadership of the Chief Minister, she vowed to continue her fight to expose the Centre’s failures and raise her voice for a brighter and better future for India.

“Let me also remind the power mongers in Delhi that Telangana has never and will never bow before the oppressive anti-people regime. We will fearlessly and fiercely fight for the rights of the people. Telangana will not bow down,” she said.

Kavitha is scheduled to participate in a one-day peaceful hunger strike organised by Bharat Jagruthi along with Opposition parties and women organisations at Jantar Mantar on March 10, demanding the BJP government to introduce and pass the Women’s Reservation Bill which has been long-pending.

“Our only demand is to table it in the Parliament to give women their due share of political participation,” she said.

Prominent leaders from 18 political parties including Sitaram Yechuri, D Raja, Omar Abdullah, Kapil Sibal and several others, have extended their support for the Jantar Mantar protest being organised by Kavitha. Several NGOs and women organisations are also expected to participate in the dharna.