Editorial: Attacking ED is indefensible

The violent attack on a party of Enforcement Directorate officials when they had gone to the house of a Trinamool Congress leader last week was clearly well-planned. A mob of about 200 TMC supporters was gathered in advance at the house of the TMC local strongman, Sheikh Shahjahan, in Sandeshkhali in 24 Parganas district, to attack the ED party with iron rods and bricks. Vehicles belonging to the ED and CRPF personnel were set on fire. A number of officials were injured. The ED officials ran for their lives, escaping to safety in public vehicles. This was the most serious attack on the raiding party in West Bengal. An FIR registered by the state police didn’t reflect the heinous nature of the attack. The ED has accused the police of framing a "weak" FIR. The attack forced the Mamata Banerjee Government on the backfoot. TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan’s house was to be searched in connection with the on-going investigation into the ration scam. He had made himself scarce, and the ED maintained that he had locked himself inside the house while instigating his supporters to attack the raiding party. The Rs 550-crore scam entailed the diversion of foodgrains, meant for public distribution through the fair price shop network, into the black market. After the attack a war of words ensued between the state BJP leaders and the TMC spokespersons who cited a couple of such incidents in other states to make light of the violent attack in Sandeshkhali. West Bengal Governor Ananda Bose summoned the state Home Secretary and the DGP to Raj Bhavan, directing them to take stern action against the culprits. However, it is unlikely that the mastermind of the attack will be penalised, as he is said to be the right hand man of the main suspect in the ration scam. This is not the first time the ED has faced such violent resistance from the intended target of its raiding party, but it was certainly the most violent. Undoubtedly, the Opposition propaganda that the ED only targets those who are against the Government has vitiated the atmosphere, even if there may be a kernel of truth in the charge against ED. But hasn’t it been the case always? Each government protects its own while encouraging the investigating agencies to probe its critics. This does not, should not, in any way detract from the seriousness of charges against the Opposition leaders. A Sharad Pawar, for instance, does not become lily-white merely because he is in the Opposition. Nor, for that matter, can Pawar become a paragon of virtue should he find himself sharing power with the BJP. That the ED should be fair and independent while deciding whom to investigate is an ideal which, given the state of our divisive and highly confrontational politics, is hard to attain. Should the ED succeed in ferreting out the malfeasance and criminality of a small section of our politicians, even that would be a service to the society at large. Neither the Opposition nor anyone in the ruling dispensation should feel that they are above the law. Theft of public funds ought to be a heinous crime, deserving stringent punishment.Being in the Opposition does not render anyone immune from scrutiny. The manner in which the chief ministers of Jharkhand and Delhi have evaded the ED notices for appearance shows a lack of respect for the rule of law. Ignoring the summons on one flimsy pretext or the other, as Hemant Soren and Arvind Kejriwal have done, is wilful defiance motivated by the desire to save one’s own skin. On multiple occasions have the two CMs ignored the ED summons, ascribing partisan motives to it. This sets a bad example for others. If Soren and Kejriwal have a credible defence in the allocation of mines and liquor licenses respectively, they should present it  before the ED. Merely parroting that the ED is partisan does not absolve them of the serious charges under ED probe. It is notable that the courts have declined to nullify the summons. But if the two CMs hope that they can evade the summons indefinitely, they may be wrong. Soon the ED will be expected to ensure that the two CMs are made accountable to the due process under which its summons are issued. If VVIPs are allowed to twiddle with the premier investigating agencies, its authority will stand diminished in popular perception. Both Soren and Kejriwal must be made to heed the ED summons. That is the least the two VVIPs can do to restore the public standing of the investigating agency.