ED searches on educational institutions linked to Parameshwara leads to political storm
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday launched searches at 16 locations in connection with the gold smuggling case allegedly involving Kannada actor Ranya Rao. Some of them are premises of educational institutions reportedly linked to Karnataka's Home Minister G. Parameshwara.
However, sources in the ED did not name any individuals. 'An educational Trust has diverted funds and made a payment of ₹40 lakh towards the credit card bill of Ranya Rao, allegedly on the instructions of an influential individual. No supporting vouchers or documentation were found to substantiate this payment,' an official said, refusing to name any individual.
'Targeted attack'
Meanwhile, the searches at the institutions linked to the Home Minister led to a political storm, with many Congress leaders alleging that it was targeted attack on a senior Dalit leader of the party.
'The ED raids on the educational institutions of Karnataka's Home Minister Dr. G. Parameshwara, one of the tallest SC Leaders, is a frustrated reaction of BJP & Modi Govt to giving of ownership rights to 1 Lakh SC-ST families yesterday at Hospet. The constant assault on Constitution and leaders of SC-ST-OBC communities across India has become a habitual pattern. The revenge seeking against @DrParameshwara is part of this sinister design,' said AICC general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala, in a social media post. Similar reactions came from other senior leaders, including Jairam Ramesh and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Illegal foreign exchange
ED sources, meanwhile, speaking on the general nature of searches at 16 locations carried out on Wednesday, said that they included those of 'hawala' operators who 'facilitated illegal foreign exchange movement for gold procurement.'
'Several such persons have admitted to dealings with Ranya Rao,' said an official, adding that the buyers conceded that they bought gold allegedly from her and sold it to jewellers.
The locations related to 'accommodation entry operators', under suspicion for providing fake proofs of financial transactions and consultation incomes in Ranya Rao's accounts, were also covered. 'They have confessed to routing funds to Ranya Rao's accounts, without any genuine business transactions,' the official said.
It is alleged that one company had purportedly shown Ranya Rao as a supplier of construction labour and paid her 'a few crores of rupees'. She also allegedly indulged in money laundering through other companies.
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Before partition, the All India Muslim League prioritised the creation of Pakistan, neglecting governance issues that later plagued the new state. The party became an exclusive clique, restricting membership, which fuelled discord. The East Pakistan Awami Muslim League (estd. 1949) was among several dissident parties emerging from the Muslim League. By the end of 1949, according to Shyamali Ghosh (1990), around 20 opposition parties existed in Pakistan, including 13 in Punjab, eight formed by dissident Muslim Leaguers (The Awami League 1949-1971, p. 2). The Awami Muslim League's influence grew. In the 1954 provincial elections, its alliance with the Krishak Sramik Party, led by A.K. Fazlul Huq, and other smaller parties, campaigning on a 21-point demand (commemorating the Bengali language martyrs of 21 February 1952), decisively defeated the Muslim League, which secured only nine seats compared to the United Front's 229. 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'In spite of economic backwardness", comments Badruddin Umar, 'East Bengal was an advanced region in respect of social, cultural and political developments. Owing to its cultural and political backwardness and predominantly feudal composition of leadership in West Pakistan they cling to old prejudices" (The Emergence of Bangladesh Vol-1, p. 329). On 3 April 1957, the East Pakistan Legislative Assembly adopted a resolution on regional autonomy, moved by Mohiuddin Ahmad of Awami League and addressed by his party colleague and United Front minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Mujib described regional autonomy as crucial for East Bengal. The resolution demanded full autonomy for East Pakistan except for currency, foreign affairs, and defence, which would remain with the Centre. Mujib elaborated on regional autonomy and democracy in his booklet 'Six-Point Formula — Our Right to Live" (March 1966), published during Field Marshal Ayub Khan's military dictatorship (1958-69) after the 1965 Indo-Pakistani War. This Six-Point Formula became Awami League's programme. Ayub Khan attempted to implicate Mujib in the Agartala Conspiracy Case (1968), alleging collusion with India to divide Pakistan. However, he withdrew the case under pressure from public agitation in East Pakistan, compounded by his precarious position in West Pakistan. The 1969 agitations in East Bengal foreshadowed the 1971 uprising. Awami League thus prepared the ground for Bangladesh's independence. It won 167 of 169 East Bengal seats in the 1970 National Assembly elections (total strength 313). Whether Bangladesh would have emerged if Yahya Khan had allowed Mujib to become Prime Minister is debatable. However, the March 1971 uprising demonstrated East Bengal's determination to achieve sovereignty, with or without Mujib, who was imprisoned in Mianwali jail in West Pakistan. top videos View all Awami League's governance has been authoritarian at times, but so has that of the BNP and General Ershad. In a democracy, parties naturally cycle in and out of power. However, banning Awami League creates an identity crisis for Bangladesh. Denying its historical heritage could lead the nation in unpredictable directions. The writer is the author of 'The Microphone Men: How Orators Created a Modern India' (2019) and an independent researcher based in New Delhi. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect News18's views. Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: June 11, 2025, 14:32 IST News opinion Opinion | Disbanding Awami League Could Lead To Identity Crisis For Bangladesh
