Bengaluru, September 16 (Daily Kiran) : Randeep Singh Surjewala, the Congress General Secretary, voiced his opposition on Wednesday to the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) actions against Karnataka’s Public Works Department Minister, Satish Jarkiholi. Surjewala expressed his support for Jarkiholi during a media briefing at the Karnataka Congress office in Bengaluru. He also took responsibility for the absence of women ministers in the state cabinet.
Surjewala accused central investigative agencies of targeting Congress leaders, particularly those from Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) backgrounds. He stated, “Minister Satish Jarkiholi has been targeted twice. Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has also faced scrutiny. The ED has acted against former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and raids were conducted at the homes of Congress MLA Nara Bharat Reddy, former minister B. Nagendra, MLA Basangouda Daddal, Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara, and MLA Virendra Pappi.”
He emphasized that several Congress leaders have been subjected to ED actions, which he believes are politically motivated. “We will not bow down to the central government under any circumstances. We stand firmly with Minister Satish Jarkiholi,” Surjewala declared.
He also raised questions about cases involving BJP and JD(S) leaders, including Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, former minister Janardhan Reddy, and Renukacharya. Surjewala accused the ED, CBI, and the Income Tax Department of being used for political ends. He noted, “Whenever elections approach, the ED, CBI, and IT become active, followed by visits from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to the state.”
Addressing the issue of the lack of women ministers in the Karnataka cabinet, Surjewala accepted responsibility, stating that it is not the fault of the Congress leadership in Delhi. “There is no woman minister in the cabinet. This is my mistake, not the high command’s. I could not reach a consensus on a name for this position,” he explained.
He acknowledged that selecting a candidate for the women’s minister role was complicated due to multiple contenders. Surjewala assured that a decision to include a woman in the cabinet would be made soon. “We are serious about women’s empowerment. I will discuss this issue with Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and state Congress President B.K. Hariprasad shortly,” he added.
In response to critics questioning the absence of a female minister, Surjewala remarked that those criticizing now should reflect on their own tenures. He referenced the previous BJP-JD(S) coalition government under H.D. Kumaraswamy, which also faced scrutiny regarding women’s representation.
Meanwhile, Congress MLC Gayatri Shantegouda met with Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar in Bengaluru. Her name was included in the list of ministers during the cabinet expansion, but she did not take the oath alongside other ministers.
The cabinet position reserved for a woman minister remains unfilled, and Congress leadership has yet to finalize a candidate for this role. Surjewala’s remarks come at a time when discussions about women’s representation within the party have intensified.
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