New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the BJP and Kerala's ruling CPI(M) alleging that there is some 'understanding' between the two parties and this is why Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was not questioned by the Central agencies, news agency PTI reported. Hinting at the allegations that have cropped up against CM Vijayan and his family in connection to a gold smuggling case, Gandhi said that it is very clear that those who voice their dissent against the BJP face the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Rahul Gandhi’s remarks come in the wake of his interrogation by the ED last month over the National Herald money laundering case.
While addressing a Congress meeting in Wandoor, under his Wayanad Parliamentary constituency, Gandhi said, "The Government of India, which has ED, CBI, which uses these instruments against anybody who opposes them...why is that they are not using it against the chief minister of Kerala. Because there is an understanding by the BJP and CPI(M). BJP is very happy with them."
“When I was interrogated for 5 days, I wondered why they interrogated for 5 days & not for 10 days...I view my 5 days of interrogation as a medal. I hope they'll do it again,” news agency ANI quoted him as saying.
The former Congress chief alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP think that they can frighten those who do not agree with their ideology, and reiterated that he is not ‘scared of them’.
"The BJP thinks that by interrogating me for five days, asking the same questions again and again and again for 55 to 60 hours, I will get worried. There cannot be a bigger joke than this", he said, adding that "we are not scared of these people".
Gandhi also took a dig at the state government on the issue of 1km Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) around all wildlife sanctuaries and national parks.
He said that the UDF will fight the government till it ensures that not a single inhabitant in such areas face difficulties.
"Our stand is very clear. We are not going to allow the buffer zone to include inhabited areas," Gandhi added.