New Delhi: Amid the ongoing raids by central agencies across various states in India, the BJP on Friday said the ED and CBI are independent agencies which act only on the basis of evidence. Weighing in on the Opposition furore over the ongoing central raids in Chhattisgarh, former chief minister and senior BJP leader Raman Singh said that if the state agencies had acted on time, such corruption as are allegedly coming out in the ongoing central raids could have been prevented.
Bringing allegations of serious graft against the Congress government, the BJP national vice president said, "ED and IT Department come in only in cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). If the (state) government acts on time, such corruption could be prevented. But if the government itself is involved in corruption, if there is a liquor scam worth more than Rs 2000 crores, with liquor sold illegally in government shops, if Rs 25 per ton is being illegally collected publicly for coal, agencies have to act. They have presented evidence and documents (to support their corruption claims)."
Tearing into the Bhupesh Baghel government amid the ongoing raids, the former CM said, "Why are you running scared? Stop corruption. Stop collecting money for coal. Stop selling illegal liquor. If an (Indian Premier League) IPL-like auction takes place for the postings of Collectors and SPs, if posts are sold for Rs 5-10 crores, could there be a bigger act of corruption than this?"
Meanwhile, claiming that the BJP-led Centre was resorting to witchunts against Opposition leaders as it senses defeat in the Chhattisgarh polls, CM Baghel told reporters, "The BJP is clearly worried and flustered as it has sensed defeat in the elections. They are raking up 12-year-old cases to target Opposition leaders, which only goes to show their desperation."
Claiming that the ED and CBI are independent agencies that act only on the basis of solid and irrefutable evidence against the accused, BJP MP PP Chaudhary told ANI, "The ED and CBI are independent agencies that conduct their proceedings only on the basis of solid evidence. They are only doing what they are mandated to, they are conducting further proceedings only on the basis a preliminary investigations (against those accused of graft). If someone has indulged in corruption, there is no provision in our laws that enables him to seek cover or exemption (from criminal proceedings) citing elections."
Hitting out at the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the BJP, amid the ongoing central raids in Opposition-ruled states, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said, "What's happening in the country? Our democracy is under threat. The Constitution is being shredded and trampled upon as the ED and CBI are acting at the behest of the BJP. These agencies are being used as political weapons by the central government over the last 9 years to target Opposition leaders and governments."
Congress leader Tariq Anwar said, "The ED and CBI are working as frontal organisations of the BJP. Whenever they face or sense a political challenge, they set these agencies loose on the Opposition leaders and parties. This (ongoing raids in Chhattisgarh) isn't the first time this has happened. This has been a recurring pattern with the central government."
Also, gunning for the BJP-led Centre after the arrest of West Bengal minister Jyotipriya Mallik in connection with an alleged ration scam, on Thursday, TMC leader and minister Shashi Panja alleged vendetta, saying, "We (TMC) are being targeted by the Centre. They think they can scare us by unleashing the ED and CBI on us. They don't see scams in (BJP-ruled) Madhya Pradesh. They are selectively targeting leaders in states where the BJP is not in power."