Chidambaram latest party leader to be targeted by Modi government, alleges Congress

Congress on Wednesday said former Finance Minister P Chidambaram was the latest party leader to be targeted by the Modi government in its "politics of vendetta".

The party said the IT and ED raids on some premises of two groups based in Chennai and Tiruchirappali of associates of Chidambaram's son Karti was "politics of vendetta". Chidambaram had yesterday called the searches a "malicious onslaught". 

"We have seen certain approach of this government in respect of Shankersinh Vaghela of Gujarat, Virbhadra Singh of Himachal Pradesh, Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot in Rajasthan... There is no hesitation (in saying) the tendency, the philosophy show politics of vendetta," Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi told reporters. He suggested that when things happen in such a way for party leaders one after another, "there will be a natural tendency to believe" that there is such politics.

"Chidambaram has given a detailed and a written statement. There is no question of second-guessing it. We support it, we stand by it. When it is pointless to try and mix-up his and his family's name, when the CBDT's own clarification is that neither of those two were addressed," Singhvi said. Chidambaram has said no one from his family has "any equity or economic interest in any of the firms that are being targeted".

The CBDT has, however, virtually dismissed Chidambaram's charges of vendetta in the searches and said it was based on "credible information of tax evasion" and "financial irregularities".