Congress top officials slam BJP over ED raids
Amidst the raids conducted by Enforcement Directorate (ED) on premises linked to Congress leaders in an alleged coal levy scam in Chhattisgarh, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said that the latest example of ‘third-grade’ politics of vendetta and harassment was witnessed in Raipur this morning.
Ahead of the Congress three-day plenary session in the city, the ED searched the premises linked to Congress leaders. More than 10,000 Congress functionaries and senior leaders are set to participate in the event starting February 24.
During a press conference, the party general secretary said that Congress will not be bogged down by the raids and its plenary session will be held as scheduled.
‘Third-grade politics’
He said, “I don’t know long the raids will continue. These raids have given us a booster dose to be even more aggressive to the Prime Minister and his third-grade politics of vendetta and harassment.”
Cowardice of BJP: Cong. president
Taking notes from the raids, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said that 95% of the raids conducted by ED in the last nine years are against opposition leaders, most of them from Congress.
While slamming BJP, Kharge has termed the ED raids as “cowardice of BJP” ahead of Congress’s plenary session. He also said that the uneasiness of the saffron party due to the “immense success of Bharat Jodo Yatra is visible.”
Moreover, he added, in an apparent reference to beleaguered billionaire Gautam Adani who is widely perceived to have a close relationship with PM Modi, “If Modi ji has even an iota of honesty, then raid the mega-scams of your “best friend.”
The Congress chief also tweeted, “We will firmly face this attempt to crush democracy.”
A warning of retaliation
Congress media department head Pawan Khera has warned that his party can also retaliate in states where it is still in power.
While terming ED as ‘Eliminating Democracy,’ the party president said, “We are in power in many states, will be in more (states) in coming days, 2024 (general elections) are also approaching, weather changes.”
अब ED का मतलब Eliminating Democracy है।
2004 से 2014 के बीच ED ने 112 बार छापे मारे थे, जबकि बीते 8 साल में 3,010 छापे मारे गए।
सिर्फ राजनीतिक दलों की बात करें तो 95% छापे केवल विपक्ष के नेताओं पर मारे गए।
: @Pawankhera जी pic.twitter.com/CvFRrf0DOr
— Congress (@INCIndia) February 20, 2023
The ED searches are being undertaken in the state capital Raipur and Durg district, a senior police official said.
CM Baghel attacks BJP
The state CM, Bhupesh Baghel has attacked the BJP saying such acts will not weaken the morale of party leaders who are engaged in the preparation of the party’s upcoming plenary session.
“There is a plenary session of the Congress in Raipur after four days. Our spirits cannot be broken by stopping our colleagues from engaging in preparations for the session through such acts. The BJP is disappointed with the success of ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ and the truth of Adani being exposed. This raid is an attempt to divert attention. The country knows the truth. We will fight and win,” the CM said in a tweet.
Moreover, the chief minister has called an emergency meeting of senior Congress leaders at his official residence at 10 am.
