New Delhi: Coming down heavily on the BJP-led government at the Centre, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi said the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has become a “political tool” for the ruling party to win elections. Addressing a press conference in Delhi on Saturday, Atishi said the ruling party has been “misusing” the central agencies to retain power by targeting the Opposition leaders.
“The BJP has been targeting AAP leaders ever since they came to power. This is a political conspiracy. The Central government has proven that ED is nothing but a political tool. They have targeted Opposition leaders from all states and by the time the Lok sabha elections arrive, the ED will have put all of them behind the bars,” Atishi said.
Taking potshots at the Centre, Atishi said the government’s agenda is to put the Opposition leaders behind bars so that they are unable to campaign for the upcoming elections.
“Arvind Kejriwal has been summoned by the ED. Hemant Soren and Tejaswi Yadav are being summoned. It’s Bhupesh Baghel’s turn now. What can be an easier way for BJP to win the elections than this? Put all the Opposition leaders in jail before Lok Sabha polls so that they cannot campaign and the BJP can easily win the elections,” Atishi said.
The Delhi minister also said that the central agency has been “misusing” the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against the Opposition parties. "Why bring charges only under PMLA? Getting bail under this Act is almost impossible," she said.
Atishi further claimed that the ED had allegedly summed two Dalit farmers under the PMLA when the duo had merely Rs 450 in their bank accounts.
"The ED has filed cases against two old farmers, 72-year-old Kanhaiyaan and 66-year-old Krishnan. They only have Rs 450 in their bank accounts and the ED issued summons to them under the PMLA,” Atishi said.
However, there was no immediate response from the ED on these allegations.