‘ED action taken on behest of BJP': Cong protests attachment of its Sukma office
Raipur: Congress staged a protest across all the district headquarters of the state on Saturday, burning effigies of the BJP govt and the enforcement directorate (ED) to condemn the ED's attachment of the Congress office in Sukma.
Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress committee president Deepak Baij criticised the ED attachment of the party office , stating the agency is acting as an 'associate organisation' of the BJP. He made these remarks while addressing media persons on Friday.
Baij said the ED's action was taken at the behest of the central govt and the BJP, despite the Congress providing all financial details for the construction of the Sukma office.
He termed the move an 'attack on democracy'. In protest, the Congress organised demonstrations and burnt effigies of the ED across all district headquarters in the state on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the Shahar Jila Congress committee in Raipur staged a protest at Rajiv Gandhi Chowk here. Congress workers gathered at Rajiv Gandhi Chowk, raising slogans against the BJP govt and the ED. There was a brief scuffle between party workers and the police during the effigy burning.
Speaking on the occasion, the party's city president Girish Dubey said that sealing the Congress office in Sukma by the ED is a direct attack on democracy, the Constitution, and the freedom of the opposition. He added that despite all documents related to the construction of the Congress Bhawan being submitted to the ED previously, the attachment of the building shows the central BJP govt is misusing central agencies to intimidate and suppress political opponents.
Former MLA Vikas Upadhyay warned that if the Congress Bhawan is not reopened immediately and the ED's politically motivated action is not investigated, the Congress party will protest from 'street to Parliament'.
The ED had attached the Congress party office in Sukma district on Friday, along with assets linked to former excise minister MLA Kawasi Lakhma and his son.
The action, taken under the PMLA, formed part of the ongoing investigation into the alleged over Rs 2000 crore scam during the previous Congress govt.
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