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Indian Express
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘Held responsible for someone else's mistake; everyone considered my aide': Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge
Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge Monday said he was being held responsible for someone else's mistake, and everyone accused of wrongdoing in the state was considered his aide. He made this remark after photos of him, his father and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge with Lingaraj Kanni, a Congress worker from Kalaburagi who was arrested in Kalyan city, were shared on social media on Sunday. The Maharashtra Police arrested Kanni along with three others last month under the Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Act for allegedly supplying 120 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup. Responding to media queries, Priyank Kharge said that the Congress would not defend Kanni's crimes. 'We have recommended the district Congress unit to suspend him from the party,' he said. Kanni, he said, was the president of the Kalaburagi South Block Congress. 'He was a Congress office-bearer cannot be denied… Since he was in the party, it is normal that he shares the stage with me. Only for this reason, he is called my aide,' Priyank Kharge said. 'How is that everyone is my aide? In the Bidar case, they (the BJP) alleged that the accused were my aides. In the Belagavi PDO case, the accused was considered my aide,' he said, adding that he was being held responsible for someone else's mistake. The Congress neither encourages nor accepts such activities, the Karnataka minister said. 'If something happens in the Kalyana Karnataka region, then Priyank Kharge is held responsible. If it happens in Karnataka, I am responsible. If it happens in Kashmir or Canada, then too I am responsible according to the BJP,' the Congress minister added. The accused, Kanni, had joined the Congress from the BJP ahead of the Assembly elections in 2023.
Indian Express
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Priyank Kharge says he is being held responsible for someone else's mistake
Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayat Raj minister Priyank Kharge said Monday that he was being held responsible for someone else's mistake and everyone accused of wrongdoing in Karnataka was considered his aide. The reaction came after the Opposition trained guns on him after photos of the minister and his father, AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, with Lingaraj Kanni, Congress worker from Kalaburagi who was arrested for allegedly supplying codeine-based cough syrup in Kalyan city, surfaced on social media Sunday. Kanni was arrested by Maharashtra police on June 22 along with three others for allegedly supplying 120 bottles of the syrup in Kalyan city, in violation of the Narcotic and Psychotropic Substances Act. Kanni, who is in the pharmaceutical business, allegedly supplied codeine bottles to three other accused. He had joined the Congress from BJP ahead of Assembly elections in 2023. As per the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, since people use codeine as a drug, it can only be supplied after a prescription and cannot be sold openly. An officer from Thane police said the arrests took place during police patrolling in Bakri Mandi Road in Kalyan, where a police team observed the three men behaving suspiciously. On searching them, the police found the bottles, following which the trio was placed under arrest. The three arrested accused were identified as Tausif Surve, 34, a driver; Linkgaraj Allgud, 40; and Irfan Ibrahim. Allgud and Ibrahim are residents of Karnataka. An officer said during interrogation, police sought to find the source of the codeine bottles, which led them to Kanni, who was arrested the same day. Responding to media queries, Kharge said that the Congress party would not defend his acts. 'We have recommended the district Congress unit to suspend him from the party,' he said. Kanni, he said, was the president of the Kalaburagi South Block Congress. 'He was a Congress office-bearer… Since he was in the party, it is normal that he shares the stage with me. Only for this reason, he is called my aide,' Kharge said. 'How is that everyone is my aide? In the Bidar case, they (the BJP) alleged that the accused were my aides. In the Belagavi PDO case, the accused was considered my aide,' he said, adding that he was being held responsible for someone else's mistake. The Congress neither encourages nor accepts such activities. The party condemns it and he will be suspended from the party, he said. 'If something happens in the Kalyana Karnataka region, then Priyank Kharge is held responsible. If it happens in Karnataka, I am responsible. If it happens in Kashmir or Canada, then too I am responsible according to the BJP,' the minister added. According to the police officer, the four accused were interrogated that led to the role of another accused who is on the run. 'The four accused are currently in judicial custody, and we are looking for the fifth accused,' the officer said. He added, 'We do not know who shared Kanni's photographs with political leaders, but it has nothing to do with our case. We are focused on getting the fifth accused.'
Hans India
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge slams Centre's foreign policy, BJP hits back
Kalaburagi (Karnataka): Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the Centre's foreign policy, citing the United States' claim that the India-Pakistan ceasefire was a result of its mediation. He called the claim a sign of India's diplomatic failure and questioned the government's silence on key national security issues. Speaking to reporters in Kalaburagi, Kharge said, 'US President Donald Trump is claiming credit for the India-Pakistan ceasefire and says the US is aiding Pakistan. Why are they comparing the economies of India and Pakistan? Our foreign policy has completely failed.' He further asked, 'How did Pakistan secure an IMF loan? Why has the Prime Minister turned a bilateral issue into an international one? He refuses to attend all-party meetings or address Parliament. In 11 years, he hasn't held a single press conference -- only delivers speeches through Mann Ki Baat or from the Red Fort.' Kharge also reiterated his party's support for Operation Sindoor but questioned the government's handling of terror attacks. 'You claimed Akhand Bharat and attacks on Karachi and Islamabad -- where is the result? Four terrorists infiltrated 250 km into Pahalgam, killed 26 people -- and vanished. Where are they? Is our border so porous? Where is James Bond Ajit Doval? Where is Home Minister Amit Shah? Why is no one asking questions?' 'Did those terrorists go to Karnataka, Bangladesh, China -- or back to Pakistan? This reflects the total failure of national security under Prime Minister Modi,' he said. Reacting sharply, Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka mocked Kharge's remarks, suggesting he focus on local governance instead of foreign policy. 'Does Priyank Kharge think he's the rightful successor to Indira Gandhi, or has Congress outsourced its national communication to junior Kharge?' he asked, taking a swipe at the minister's lineage -- Kharge is the son of AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge. 'Kalaburagi, your home district, is at the bottom in SSLC/Class 10 board results. Before preaching on foreign policy, perhaps you could extend your Gyan Darshan to improving human development indicators here,' Ashoka said. Offering "elder brotherly advice", Ashoka added, 'Just because your party is disillusioned with Rahul Gandhi and suddenly remembering Indira Gandhi, don't assume you can be her successor. After 50 years of service, even your father couldn't become Karnataka's CM -- how do you expect to inherit Indira Gandhi's legacy?'
