New Delhi: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday attacked the Enforcement Directorate (ED), saying the federal agency is "attacking" Congress leaders in the state the way locusts from Pakistan used to attack crops, reported news agency PTI.
Gehlot was referring to the ED raid on the premises of state Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra.
"Enforcement Directorate (ED) teams are attacking congress leaders in Rajasthan like 'tiddi' (locusts) from Pakistan used to attack crops here," Gehlot said in Nokha of Bikaner while canvassing for Congress candidate Sushila Dudi, reported PTI.
Expressing his disappointment with ED, Gehlot said that summons have also been sent to Dotasra's sons and Vaibhav Gehlot has been again called for questioning.
According to the news agency, ED has swooped down to Dotasra's residence in connection with the paper leak case and his sons have been reportedly issued summons for questioning.
Gehlot further stated that various criminals who committed economic crimes are sitting abroad, which suggests that "ED's lethality has been reduced".
In a statement, he said fugitives who committed economic offences should be arrested, but today the ED is being "misused" against political rivals. This trend is visible in all the states ruled by the Opposition, he claimed.
In 2014, the then-UPA government was defeated due to "false allegations of corruption and scams through sponsored conspiracies," he said, adding that today there is no discussion of those so-called scams anywhere.
"The present central government has destabilized the elected governments in various states including Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Manipur, Goa. With the blessings of the public, their conspiracy could not succeed in Rajasthan. Such tendencies are harmful for democracy," he added.
Vasundhara Raje Attacks Congress
Meanwhile, former Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje today launched a scathing attack on the ruling Congress party, saying that the state government snatched much from the people of the state and returned too little.
Terming the reliefs provided by the state government a "drama," Raje said, "All during its tenure, the Congress has given wounds to the people. Now it is handing out reliefs towards the end of its rule, which is nothing but a drama. This government is opening its coffers, which is just a farce," she said.
Addressing a meeting in the Bali constituency of Pali district, Raje said the Congress is showing "false" dreams to the people, who understand this game.
"People know the truth of these last moment reliefs very well. The five years of this government are black chapters which had the tears of farmers, screams of women, persecution of Dalits and despair of youth," Raje said.