'Timing, objective, intent suspicious': Sachin Pilot questions ED action in Rajasthan ahead of key polls
PTC News Desk: The "timing, objective and intent" of the raids conducted by central government agencies in Rajasthan, according to Congress leader Sachin Pilot, are "suspicious," indicating that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is weak ahead of the Rajasthan assembly elections.
"We have elections in a few days in Rajasthan. The Model Code of Conduct has been implemented...The timing, objective, and intent of the central government agencies' raids in Jaipur and other cities today are questionable and suspicious," Pilot said at a press conference on Thursday.
"The way the BJP is specifically targeting Congress leaders without any factual evidence after realising that they will be losing defeat in the upcoming election is condemnable," he went on to say.
Pilot stated that it is a well-known fact that the central government has abused central agencies for political gain. He did, however, condemn the use of the agencies to threaten Congress leaders before the elections.
"It is widely known that the central government has been misusing the investigating agenices. But the nation and the state have taken a serious note of the way these agencies were used just before the elections to threaten the Congress party leaders," the ex-Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister added.
He went on to say that the Congress party would welcome an impartial investigation into any corrupt individual. He did, however, claim that the BJP is targeting Congress leaders without providing any evidence.
"Congress is against corruption. We believe that if an impartial investigation is carried out and evidence is collected against an accused, then the person should be investigated. But the way the BJP is specifically targeting Congress leaders without any factual evidence after realising that they will be losing defeat in the upcoming election is condemnable."
Pilot stated that the ED raid on Thursday demonstrated that when the BJP fails politically, it uses investigative agencies to instill fear in the opposition camp.
"The way the Congress state president was raided without any summons or evidence is just to convey the message that if the BJP falls short politically, then they can use investigative agencies like CBI, ED, Income Tax. These will be misused to create a sense of fear in the opposition camp."
Pilot backed Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot by condemning the summons issued against the Chief Minister's son, Vaibhav Gehlot, in a 12-year-old case.
"This case dates back 12 years. Everyone knows why he was summoned suddenly after the polling date was announced," Pilot explained.
- ANI
