As the Congress targeted the Narendra Modi government over Supreme Court ruling against the two extensions given to Enforcement Directorate (ED) Director Sanjay Mishra, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday hit back saying who is the agency chief is not important because whoever occupies the chair will take note of the "rampant corruption of a cosy club of entitled dynasts who have an anti-development mindset".
In a tweet, he said those rejoicing over the apex court's decision are "delusional for various reasons". He said the amendments to the CVC Act have been upheld and the powers of the ED to strike at those are corrupt and on the wrong side of law remain the same.
"ED is an institution which rises beyond any one individual and is focused on achieving its core objective - i.e. to investigate offences of money laundering and violations of foreign exchange laws. Thus, who the ED director is - that is not important because whoever assumes this role will take note of the rampant corruption of a cosy club of entitled dynasts who have an anti-development mindset," he said.
Congress Media Department chairperson Pawan Khera was quick with a retort, asking Shah why he was commenting on an agency that technically reports to the Ministry of Finance. "Does it not show that barring two people, the rest of the Cabinet is unemployed? If who the Director of ED is does not matter to you, why was the current incumbent given two extensions and why was your government fighting for a third?"
Congress General Secretary Randeep Surjewala claimed that it has now become clear how the government is "misusing" agencies to target Opposition leaders and destabilise non-BJP governments in states.
"This is a victory of justice and vindication of our stand on brazen misuse and compromise of ED for political vendetta as also the blatant pursuit of Modi Government’s desperate and obvious agenda," he tweeted.
He also claimed that the Supreme Court verdict was a "serious and historic indictment" of the Modi Government, which was "so desperate to have its choice of ED Chief (for reasons apparent to all) that it completely disregarded all norms of justice, equity and fairness to install its ‘yes man’."
"In view of the said observation of the SC, all actions taken by ED after 17.11.2021 automatically become illegal, null and void..."Thus, we demand that an independent investigation (independent of influence and pressure of Modi Government) be constituted to scrutinise all actions by ED post 17.11.2021," he added.
Congress General Secretary K C Venugopal told reporters that his party maintained from the beginning that the extension of tenure of the ED director is "totally illegal" and the party's stand has been vindicated.