New Delhi: Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday accused the government of a “malicious onslaught” launched by it against his family and said if it wants to target him it should do so directly and not harass friends of his son Karti.
“If the government wishes to target me, they should do so directly, not harass friends of my son who carry on their own businesses and have nothing to do with politics,” he said in a statement shortly after reports of Income Tax and Enforcement Directorate searches on some premises connected with Karti’s friends.
“My family and I are quite prepared to face the malicious onslaught launched by the government,” Chidambaram said.
The senior Congress leader said he was travelling and he had been informed about searches conducted on certain firms in Chennai allegedly linked to his son. “We have made it clear, repeatedly, that no member of my family has any equity or economic interest in any of the firms that are being targetted.
“They are companies that are professionally managed and are capable of answering any questions that may be put to them by the authorities. I condemn the attempt to link them to my son and harass them on that ground,” he said.
Chidambaram alleged that the agenda of the government was being implemented by an officer of the Enforcement Directorate who has a pending dispute with the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance.
“Orders in his case were apparently passed during the term of my predecessor. He met me and wanted me to intervene in his favour. I declined and I told him that I cannot reverse orders that were issued during the term of my predecessor.
“The change of government has given him an opportunity to misuse his powers to harass my son and his friends,” he said.
(Agencies)
