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Journalism of Courage
Even as the Congress high command maintains silence on the arrest of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, many other Opposition leaders condemned it as the chorus against the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) action grows.
While most leaders tweeted their views, Bharat Rashtra Samithi, the ruling party of Telangana, was among the few parties to issue a statement against the arrest, terming it as a “conspiracy to use central government agencies to weaken” the BJP’s political rivals.
“The BJP does cowardly politics, unable to face the leaders of the strong parties questioning its inefficient policies and corruption. The nation is watching the unethical and evil politics of the BJP. People will definitely reject BJP’s conspiratorial politics and its leaders will face the same fate in future,” the BRS statement said.
In a series of tweets, BRS working president K T Rama Rao, the son of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, also accused the Centre of “protecting the PM’s cronies despite serious allegations”.
“How many ED, IT & CBI raids on BJP leaders or their kith & kin in last 8 years?… Modi’s operandi is clear. Target opposition parties by all means at his disposal; Either split the parties or poach their MLAs & dislodge elected Governments. If nothing works, use their only allies; CBI, ED & IT to harass and launch a smear campaign. Back it with Paid Troll Army,” Rao, also known as KTR, tweeted.
The BRS’s aggressive pushback against Sisodia’s arrest in the excise policy case is being keenly watched, as earlier this month, the CBI arrested a former chartered accountant of BRS MLC K Kavitha, the daughter of CM KCR, in connection with the case.
Also, the ED charged that AAP communications in-charge Vijay Nair had received kickbacks to the tune of Rs 100 crore from the “South Group”, allegedly comprising individuals identified as Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy (YSRCP MP), Raghav Magunta, Sarath Reddy, and Kavitha, who has denied the allegations.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, who was arrested by the ED in a money laundering case last year, also spoke out against the CBI action. “The way BJP is arresting Opposition Leaders, I dread, what will happen to BJP leaders in future when they will be out of power. What if they are similarly persecuted/arrested? Who will come to their help?” Raut tweeted.
Last week, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann met Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray at his Mumbai residence. Following the meeting, Kejriwal hit out at the BJP, accusing it of “stealing” from Thackeray the name and symbol of Shiv Sena.
Janata Dal (United) leader Neeraj Kumar also condemned the arrest of Sisodia, saying the BJP uses the state machinery to “defame” its political opponents. The RJD also slammed the BJP over the issue.
The ripples of the arrest also reached Assam, with Raijor Dal chief and Assam MLA Akhil Gogoi, who has previously worked with Kejriwal and Sisodia, terming the arrest as an “act of atrocity”. “I would like to condemn and appeal to all leaders of opposition to protests against this undemocratic arrest and all regional forces to come together and demonstrate against this act,” he said.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi who had Sunday condemned CBI action issued a clarification Monday, saying he was not tweeting on behalf of the party but as a senior counsel who had appeared in many cases for Sisodia. “It is but obvious that my tweet at 336 pm on 26/2/23 on #Manish #Sisodia was in context of my appearance for him as senior counsel in many cases and not on behalf of #congress party, tho space constraints made me inadvertently omit the mentioning of this fact,” Singhvi tweeted.
“God be with u #Manish ji. Distressing 2c such repeated, flagrant, egregious & shameless misuse of arrest power. #Sisodia Cnot be flight risk, suborning evidence or witnesses or non cooperation after almost a year of investigation & interrogation. How & why arrest after so long?,” he had tweeted Sunday.
