New Delhi: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Friday said that his state is soon going to see raids by Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Income Tax (I-T) department as MLAs of the ruling coalition in neighbouring Jharkhand are staying in a resort near capital Raipur, news agency PTI reported.
Talking to media persons, the Congress leader targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying it does not have faith in democracy.
“The BJP does not have faith in democracy. Jharkhand (ruling coalition) MLAs are staying in Raipur and we have welcomed them. Now, the BJP is protesting against it. My well-wishers have informed me that soon the state will see raids by the ED and I-T because we have stationed Jharkhand MLAs here to protect democracy,” PTI quoted Baghel as saying.
The CM said MLAs of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), which consists of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), have been staying in a resort on the outskirts of Raipur.
The CM further said that he was aware of the fact that if he invited the MLAs to Chhattisgarh, the Congress-ruled state would face action from central agencies.
“It is a small contribution (towards saving democracy). They (MLAs of Jharkhand) could have gone anywhere, but they came to Chhattisgarh. I was well aware that if I would invite them to stay here then the state would face action by the ED and I-T. But it is necessary to protect democracy,” he said.
"I have been told the ED and I-T would shift their focus to Chhattisgarh and raids have happened earlier, too (in the state). Now, my sources are confirming that the ED and I-T are going to carry out (fresh) raids here,” he added.
Meanwhile, more than 40 functionaries of the youth wing of BJP were detained on Friday for staging protests in front the resort on the outskirts of Raipur where the ruling MLAs have been put up.
The Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha protestors reached the entrance of Mayfair Golf resort around 3pm before being stopped by police.
"There is anarchy in Jharkhand and the law and order situation has collapsed. Girls are not safe anymore. However, the legislators of the ruling UPA coalition are picnicking in Raipur. Chhattisgarh's Congress government that had promised to implement prohibition in the state is serving liquor to Jharkhand MLAs," BJYM state unit president Amit Sahu alleged.
According to the report, 41 BJYM workers were detained and taken in a bus to Rakhi police station where they were released later.
Notably, the JMM-Congress-RJD coalition in Jharkhand on Tuesday flew its 32 MLAs to Raipur in a bid to thwart BJP's possible attempt to poach them amid ongoing political crises in the state. They were shifted to the luxurious resort in Nava Raipur.
The BJP, however, has denied any role in the latest political crisis in Jharkhand.