Modi govt orchestrated ED raids on Congress leaders to disrupt AICC Plenary: CM Baghel

Hours after the ED started its operation, Baghel addressed a press conference in Raipur to mount a scathing attack on the Modi government. “The ED has a very poor trackrecord. They have conducted 5,000 raids but barely in 35 raids they could find something. They (BJP) believe in destroying their opponents using such tactics. Nearly a dozen places were raided in Chhattisgarh today. In four days we will have maha adeveshan (AICC Plenary). What was the need to do such raids ahead of the meeting? They could have done this earlier,” he said.

The CM said all Congress members have been working hard to ensure a successful AICC Plenary conclave. “They (BJP government) may try their best to disrupt it but instead it will be more successful. Whenever we take a major decision such things happen. Our leaders had gone to Jharkhand for campaigning (in Assembly polls) and as soon as the results came out, the IT raids took place in Chhattisgarh. Such raids by central agencies were also carried out soon after our leaders went to Assam, Himachal Pradesh and UP for election campaigning. They are scared of us,” he charged.

Raking up the Adani affair, Baghel said, “PM does not speak about Adani, which shows they are under pressure. The raids show they are scared of us. The Bharat Jodo Yatra has made them restless. The roadmap of 2024 is being prepared in this Plenary and they want to make this meeting unsuccessful. We strongly condemn it. Everyone knew they will do such raids before the meeting. They can try as much as they want to disrupt the meeting but instead we will get more success.”

Holding that the Congress will not be intimidated by such raids, the CM said, “We were never scared of the British, what is BJP? The public knows this well. Why are you not investigating the Rs 6,000 crore chit fund fraud (dating back to the previous Raman Singh-led BJP government) where poor people lost their money? I wrote to Union Home Minister and ED but they took no action in this regard.”

Baghel also said, “Whenever we try to take action against the BJP’s wrongdoings, the central government transfers the cases or they go to court and stall the probes. Raman Singh (ex-CM) becomes spokesperson when such raids take place. He issues press notes before agencies do. We have won hearts of people, which Raman Singh could not do in 15 years.”

Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee (CPCC) president Mohan Markam told the press conference, “In eight years, 3010 raids have been carried out (by the ED). 95% of these raids have been against Opposition parties. Why don’t they do investigation of the corruption done by Adani?”

The AICC general secretary in charge of Chhattisgarh, Selja, said, “Nearly half a dozen of our leaders were raided by ED today. They can raid more of us but we will not budge. You (BJP government) will not get anything. Congress is holding its 85th Plenary meeting in Raipur, which has further scared them. About 15,000 Congress leaders will be attending it. They want this meeting to be affected. But we will strongly stand by our leaders (raided by ED). You are seeing how BJP is scared of Congress.”

Selja alleged, “The Modi government is regressive. They do not allow our leaders to speak in Parliament. They called Rahul Gandhi ji for questioning. They do not want us to speak about his friend (Adani) who should be raided. When Rahul ji raised his voice for common people through Bharat Jodo Yatra, it shook them and hence they are using ED against us.”

She also said, “We need to raise our voice against Adani who has defamed us in the world. Modi has not answered even a single question on the Adani case. They do not believe in democracy or Parliament, and they are misusing central agencies, which the country is witnessing. They did not even spare the media. … But their tactics will not work for long. Elections are coming and we will soon unmask them.”