Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday denied statements made by Chief Ministers of West Bengal, Telangana and Maharashtra about the deployment of central probe agencies against the non-BJP leaders to suppress the opposition’s voice. ‘’There is no truth. These charges are baseless,’’ she said.
Sitharaman said there is a process involved for the Enforcement Directorate to conduct an investigation. ‘’Even if ED wishes to do something for politics or any other, it is not possible. Without any ground work, ED cannot enter anywhere as there is an offence created elsewhere. ED cannot jump in first as there is offence elsewhere that is investigated. Only after that ED comes and starts the probe,’’ she noted.
Sitharaman without naming West Bengal CM Mamata Banejree said the state police are targeting karyakartas of other parties (of BJP). ‘’What do you say about it?’’ she asked.
Sitharaman’s comment came days after the Telangana CM K Chandrashekhar Rao and Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray after their meeting alleged that the BJP-led government was misusing the central probe agencies against opponents. ‘’Central agencies are being misused in a very bad manner; we condemn it. The central government should change their policy, they will suffer if they don’t,’’ claimed KCR.
On the other hand, Thackeray targeted the BJP-led government at the Centre for playing revenge politics. ‘’Our Hindutva is not about revenge. Today the entire focus is on defaming others and trumpeting one’s achievements,’’ he noted.
