BJP using CBI, ED to harass Opposition: Raghav Chadha

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 5

AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led government at the Centre and accused it of rocking the democratic foundation of the country by misusing central agencies. He said the BJP targets whichever opposition parties it deems strong and misuses the CBI and ED to harass their important leaders.

Today, nine prominent opposition leaders of the country have written a letter to the Prime Minister against the blatant use of the ED and CBI against opposition parties. Among those who wrote the letter are four incumbent Chief Ministers, one Deputy CM and four former CMs of different states. This is an unprecedented and significant development.

Chadha said the letter makes it clear that the opposition will no longer stay silent as the growing misuse of the agencies is deeply concerning and does not bode well for our democracy. He added that the opposition had written this letter to the PM to express concern over the progressively tarnishing image of the agencies in the eyes of the people of India and ask him to stop normalising the weaponisation of such institutions to settle political scores.

He also said that by misusing government agencies, the BJP government is trying to eliminate the opposition. “CBI-ED are being used only on the leaders of opposition parties. In fact, 95 per cent of the cases registered by the CBI are against opposition leaders. This politicisation of enforcement agencies is a threat to democracy,” he said.

Under its predecessor, the ED raided only 112 places, but the BJP has conducted more than 3,000 raids against the members of opposition parties. It is important to note that the conviction rate in the cases filed by ED is less than 0.05%.

He also questioned the conduct of the offices of the Governors in the states ruled by opposition parties and accused them of interfering in the day-to-day functioning of the government. He said that the anti-reform actions of some Governors flew in the face of our democratic spirit and hampered administration.

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