The latest example of 'third-grade' vendetta politics was witnessed in Raipur this morning, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said on Monday referring to the raids conducted by Enforcement Directorate on premises linked to Congress leaders in an alleged coal levy scam in Chhattisgarh. The ED searched the premises linked to Congress leaders days ahead of the party's three-day plenary session in Raipur. Over 10,000 Congress functionaries and senior leaders are set to participate in the event starting February 24.
Jairam Ramesh told a press conference that Congress will not be bogged down by the raids and its plenary session will be held as scheduled.
“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,” the Rajya Sabha member said.
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. Terming the ED raids as “cowardice of BJP” ahead of Congress's plenary session, Kharge said that the uneasiness of the saffron party due to the “immense success of Bharat Jodo Yatra is visible.”
"If Modi ji has even an iota of honesty, then raid the mega-scams of your "best friend"," Kharge added, in an apparent reference to beleaguered billionaire Gautam Adani who is widely perceived to have a close relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
{{/usCountry}}"If Modi ji has even an iota of honesty, then raid the mega-scams of your "best friend"," Kharge added, in an apparent reference to beleaguered billionaire Gautam Adani who is widely perceived to have a close relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
{{/usCountry}}“We will firmly face this attempt to crush democracy,” he tweeted.
Congress media department head Pawan Khera warned that his party can also retaliate in states where it is still in power.
“We are in power in many states, will be in more (states) in coming days, 2024 (general elections) are also approaching, weather changes,” Khera said, terming ED as ‘Eliminating Democracy.’
The ED searches are being undertaken in the state capital Raipur and Durg district, a senior police official said.
Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel hit out at 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 engaged 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.
He called an emergency meeting of senior Congress leaders at his official residence at 10am.