 "Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Bhagel")
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Wednesday slammed the BJP-led central government over raids on a relative of his Punjab counterpart Charanjit Singh Channi and accused the saffron party of using probe agencies under its control to target political opponents during polls.
The Congress leader sought to know why raids are conducted by central agencies only in states where non-BJP parties are in power.
He was talking to reporters at the Swami Vivekanand Airport Raipur this evening after returning from a four-day tour to Delhi and poll-bound Uttar Pradesh.
Asked about Enforcement Directorate's (ED) raids at the premises of Channi's nephew, Baghel said, Wherever elections are held, people in the opposition are raided.This is being done to intimidate and threaten (opposition parties). "Why (Chief Minister) Yogi Adityanath's relatives were not raided in Uttar Pradesh? Why were relatives of Uttarakhand or Goa CMs not raided? Why does it happen only in those states where their (BJP) opponents are in power? The ED conducted the raids in connection with money laundering allegations linked to a 2018 illegal sand mining case in Punjab. Baghel alleged the BJP activates central agencies against opponents whenever state elections are held. It (Punjab's raids) clearly indicates where there are elections, central agencies are being involved (to target political opponents). Like, it is said about Pakistan that not 11 but 13 players play in its cricket team (on field). The 13 includes two umpires. The situation is the same here as the BJP contests the elections, the central agencies join it in the fight.. Like umpires, CBI, ED, IB all get involved in it, he added. Punjab goes to the polls on February 20. Baghel, the Congress's senior observer for the UP assembly polls who has been extensively campaigning there, said the people of the northern state were "fed up" with the ruling BJP and wanted change. The people of UP are fed up with those who do politics over caste and religion. They want a solution to it.. he added.
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