Rahul Gandhi.
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday claimed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is planning a raid against him after his 'chakravyuh' speech in Parliament.
BJP targeted Rahul for his remarks with former MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar claiming that the Congress leader is creating a “new narrative to distract people from asking about his accountability” as the MP from Wayanad following the devastating landslide tragedy there.
"Apparently, 2 in 1 didn't like my 'Chakravyuh' speech. ED insiders tell me a raid is being planned. Waiting with open arms ED...Chai and biscuits on me," Rahul, who is on a visit to disaster-hit Wayanad, posted on 'X' at 1:52 AM.
Taking up Rahul's remarks, Congress Lok Sabha Whip Manickam Tagore submitted an adjournment notice in Lok Sabha on "the BJP government's misuse of agencies like the ED, CBI, and Income Tax for political harassment".
Tagore said despite the reduced numbers from 303 to 240 and reliance on alliance with TDP and JD(U), the government "continues to deploy" these agencies to intimidate Opposition leaders, undermining democratic principles.
"This misuse of state power is unacceptable and threatens the integrity of our institutions. We demand an immediate cessation of these practices and call for respect for democratic norms and autonomy of our agencies. Our democracy's health depends on impartial governance and fair political engagement," he said.
Invoking the ‘chakravyuh’ leitmotif he used during the debate on Budget, he said, “the 'penalty system' is that door of Modi's 'chakravyuh' through which efforts are being made to break the back of the common Indian. But remember the people of India are not Abhimanyu but Arjun, they know how to answer your atrocities by breaking the 'chakravyuh'.”
He had said an atmosphere of fear prevails all around with a group of six trapping the entire country in a “chakravyuh”, which he said would be broken by the I.N.D.I.A. bloc.
Earlier, the ED had questioned Rahul and former Congress president Sonia Gandhi in connection with a money laundering case linked to Associate Journals Ltd, which was publishing Congress mouthpiece National Herald.
The ED had also conducted searches at the National Herald premises besides attaching properties worth Rs 751.9 crore. Rahul had earlier said he is "not scared of Prime Minister Narendra Modi" and will "not be intimidated" by central agencies as "truth cannot be barricaded".