Karnataka Congress leaders, Kumaraswamy rally behind Shivakumar, condemn arrest
Bengaluru, Sept 3: The arrest of senior Congress leader D K Shivakumar by the ED came in for condemnation from opposition leaders in Karnataka on Tuesday with former chief minister Siddaramaiah and H D Kumaraswamy and accusing the BJP of using central agencies to "oppress voices of dissent".
On his part, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said law will take its own course and said he would be more happy than everyone if the former minister comes clear of the charges.
Soon after the arrest of the Kanakapura MLA in New Delhi in a money laundering case, his supporters held protests at nearby Ramanagara and in Ballari.
Congress sources said the party has given a call to its district units for staging protests on Wednesday against the arrest of Shivakumar.
The Congress troubleshooter from the state was arrested under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after he appeared before the Enforcement Directorate for questioning for the fourth time on Tuesday at its headquarters in Delhi.
Condemning the action, Siddaramaiah alleged opposition leaders were being targeted using central government agencies.
"It is just an attempt to divert the attention from structural failures of @BJP4India govt & also to prevent the voices of dissent. @DKShivakumar is also a victim of their vindictive politics," he said in a series of tweets.
Shivakumar would definitely come out clean and the whole country would understand the "ulterior motives" of the BJP, he said.
"We are all with him in this difficult times & shall provide him with full support," the Congress legislature party leader said.
Kumaraswamy said the ED has cited non-cooperation as the reason to arrest Shivakumar after days of interrogation, without allowing even a day's break for the (Ganesh Chaturthi) festival.
"The ruling govt is using investigation agencies to oppress those opposition leaders who they think are a threat to their interests," he charged in a tweet.
Yediyurappa said they were not happy about Shivakumar's arrest.
"I pray to God that he should come out from everything.
I have neither hated any one in my life, nor have I wished bad for any one. Law will take its course. If he comes out (of the charges) I will be more happy than any one," the chief minister told reporters here.
The Karnataka unit of Congress and the Youth Congress also slammed the arrest of Shivakumar, a troubleshooter for the party and said they stood by the leader.
"Despite full cooperation in investigation D K Shivakumar is arrested by ED. This is political vendetta & High handed tactics against Congress by BJP," the state Congress tweeted.
In a statement, the state Youth Congress said "We stand by our leader D K Shivakumar ji. Such attempts to insult and humiliate leaders only reflect the BJP's fear of others, cowardice to admit their mistakes & incompetence in directing our country in crisis."
Opposition leaders are being targeted each & every day using central govt agencies. It is just an attempt to divert the attention from structural failures of @BJP4India govt & also to prevent the voices of dissent. @DKShivakumar is also a victim of their vindictive politics.
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) September 3, 2019
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.@DKShivakumar will definitely come out clean & the whole country will understand the ulterior motives of @BJP4India. We are all with him in this difficult times & shall provide him with full support.
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) September 3, 2019
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After days of interrogation, without allowing even a day's break for the festival, ED now cites non-cooperation to arrest @DKShivakumar. The ruling govt is using investigation agencies to oppress those opposition leaders who they think are a threat to their interests.
— H D Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) September 3, 2019
New Delhi: A supporter of Congress leader DK Shivakumar being cries as he is dragged away by police personnel outside RML Hospital, where the leader has been taken for medical testsLet the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
At least 64 people killed in strike on hospital in Sudan: World Health Organization
Cairo: At least 64 people, including at least 13 children, were killed in a strike on a hospital in the western Darfur region of Sudan on Friday, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Saturday.
News agencies have reported that the strike on Al Daein Teaching Hospital in East Darfur on Friday not only injured at least 89 people but also rendered the hospital non-functional, Tedros Ghebreyesus, the head of the WHO, said in a post on X.
Sudan has been in a state of chaos since April 2023, when a power struggle between the military and the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) developed into war across the country.
The RSF has blamed the military for the strike on the hospital.
The army, however, has denied the attack, but two military officials have said that the strike targeted a nearby police station. They spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not allowed to discuss the matter openly.
The war has killed more than 40,000 people, according to UN figures, but aid groups say that is an undercount and the true number could be many times higher.
The WHO has said that over 2,000 people have been killed in attacks on medical facilities since the start of the war.
“Enough blood has been spilled. Enough suffering has been inflicted. The time has come to de-escalate the conflict in Sudan,” said Ghebreyesus.
.@WHO has verified yet another attack on health care in #Sudan. This time, Al Deain Teaching Hospital in East Darfur’s capital, Al Deain, was struck, killing at least 64 people, including 13 children, two female nurses, one male doctor, and multiple patients.
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) March 21, 2026
As a result of this… pic.twitter.com/RAwDR5YVjd
