Vendetta Politics: Kharge Condemns Tamil Nadu Minister's Arrest

Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday condemned the late-night arrest of Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister V Senthil Balaji by the Enforcement Directorate.

Kharge described the raids as a form of the Union government's harassment and intimidation.

"This is nothing but political harassment and vendetta by the Modi government against those opposed to it. None of us in the Opposition will be intimidated by such brazen moves," Kharge said in a statement.

"They only reinforce its determination and resolve to continue its democratic struggle against the anti-people policies of the Modi government," they added.

On Tuesday, the ED conducted searches at the official residence of Balaji and at the office of the minister in the Secretariat.

The action came months after the Supreme Court allowed a police and ED probe into an alleged cash for jobs scam against him.

Following the arrest, the ED took Balaji to the Omandurar government hospital in Chennai for a medical assessment after he complained of uneasiness.

State Minister P K Sekar Babu claimed there were 'symptoms' Balaji has been 'tortured.'

"He is in the ICU. He was in an unconscious state and did not respond when he called him by his name. He is under observation... doctors say there is variation in his ECG (electrocardiogram)... there are symptoms of torture," Babu told reporters.