NEW DELHI: The Congress on Monday slammed the government for revengeful attacks on the Congress leaders in Chhattisgarh at a time when the party is preparing for its plenary session from February 24.
Its chief spokesman Jairam Ramesh said the ED has now become an "exterminating democracy" while his colleague Pawan Khera said it could be called "eliminating democracy."
Khera said as much as 95% raids by ED were only on the political parties and leaders. As against 112 ED raids during the UPA regime, their number has gone up to 3,010 in the past eight years, including the raids on the National Herald and interrogations of former party president Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and current president Mallikarjun Kharge.
Jairam said the Congress will not back out due to the politics of threat, but the raids are avoided where they should be like big frauds by billionaire Gautam Adani, a personal friend of PM Modi.
He said: "I don't know how long the raids will continue, but we are prepared. If anything, these raids have only increased our determination. These raids have given us a booster dose to be even more aggressive against the Prime Minister and his third grade politics of vengeance, vendetta and harassment."
In reply to another question, Jairam Ramesh said: "I cannot presume, what the talking points in the Plenary will be, but, certainly, one of the themes in our political resolution is- the misuse of investigative agencies, the subversion of constitutional bodies, the loss of independence of Institutions that underpin our democratic structure. Certainly, this is one of the themes of the political resolution."
He said the plenary session will certainly discuss the "undeclared emergency" advanced by the government as the so-called "Amrit Kal."
In reply to another question, he said 17 political parties had slammed the top court's stand on the Prevention of Money Laundering Act last year as it is a danger to democracy. He said the Congress going to the Supreme Court with a review petition against the powers bestowed on the ED.
Meanwhile, the BJP slammed the grand old party (GOP) for its criticism of the ED’s raids, claiming it hints at the opposition party’s link with the corruption as it has always stood by the corrupt.
BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia alleged the Congress government in Chhattisgarh is treating the state like a party ATM while ignoring the people’s welfare.
