"The arrest of DK Shivakumar did not bring me any happiness," BS Yediyurappa said. (File)
Highlights
- The Karnataka Chief Minister said he has never hated anybody in his life
- Mr Yediyurappa said he'd be "happiest" to hear of DK Shivakumar's release
- DK Shivakumar was arrested on Tuesday on money laundering charges
Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Tuesday said he was "not happy" with the arrest of political rival DK Shivakumar. The senior Congress leader was arrested on Tuesday evening by the Enforcement Directorate, which was questioning him in a money laundering case. The agency said he was not cooperating with the investigation -- an allegation also made against former union minister P Chidambaram by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
"Let me tell you one thing, the arrest of DK Shivakumar did not bring me any happiness. I will pray to God that he will be out soon," Mr Yediyurappa said.
"I haven't hated anyone in my life and haven't mean to harm anyone. Justice will have to take its own course," added the senior BJP leader, who took oath in July after the coalition government of HD Kumaraswamy and the Congress was dislodged by a series of defections by their MLAs.
Mr Yediyurappa added that he would be the "happiest" to receive the news of Mr Shivakumar's getting out.
The BJP has taken a hard line on the arrest of Mr Chidambaram. "Howsoever mighty you may be, the law is above you," Bengaluru's BJP MP Tejasvi Surya had tweeted.
Union Minister Babul Supriyo had mocked Mr Chidambaram for speaking on liberty during a press meet held at the Congress headquarters before he was arrested.
"Heard the Press Con @PChidambaram_IN ji held today at the @INCIndia HQ !He stressed about 'Liberty' ! Wonder if he was talking about the 'Liberty' to launder Money or evade arrest or is it the 'Liberty' to be entitled to be auto-exonerated of any wrongdoing bcoz he's from Congress!" he tweeted.
The Congress has accused the BJP-led centre of practising "vendetta politics" by using the agencies to arrest its leaders.
"Shivakumar's arrest fuelled by BJP's quest for revenge. Sinking economy and rupee, loss of jobs, a bid to cover up these problems," said senior Congress leader Randeep Surjewala.
"Mr Chidambaram has been accused of facilitating a huge infusion of foreign funds into a television company, INX Media, in 2007 on the behest of his son Karti Chidambaram, who allegedly received kickbacks for this. At the time, he was the country's finance minister in the UPA government. Mr Chidambaram has denied the allegations, saying it was politically motivated," Karnataka Congress leader and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah tweeted.