9 opposition leaders write to PM Modi over 'misuse of agencies'

Nine opposition leaders have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that no action has been taken against corrupt politicians who have joined, alleging misuse of central agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to frame their leaders in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) chief Chandrasekhar Rao, Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) chief Farooq Abdullah, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray expressed their concern over the deteriorating situation image of central agencies.

They said most of the politicians who were detained, arrested, raided or questioned by investigative agencies under the BJP regime since 2014 belonged to the opposition. Citing that investigative agencies were slow to proceed in cases against opposition politicians who had joined the BJP, they said, “For example, former Congressman and current Chief Minister of Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma was investigated by CBI and ED in 2014 and 2015 for Saradha” chit fund scam.

However, the case did not progress after he joined the BJP. Similarly, former TMC leaders Suvendu Adhikari and Mukul Roy were under the ED and CBI scanner in the Narada sting operation case, but the cases did not progress after they joined the BJP ahead of the assembly polls in the state. There are many such examples, including that of Shri Narayan Rane of Maharashtra.

Claiming that governors' offices across the country act contrary to constitutional provisions and often obstruct state governance, they wrote, “They deliberately undermine democratically elected state governments and instead choose to defend governance according to their whims and fancies.” Be it the governor of Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Punjab, Telangana, or the governor of Delhi, the governors have become the face of the widening rift between the Center and the states led by non-BJP governments, threatening the spirit of cooperative federalism that the states continue to cultivate despite the lack of statement from the Center.

While Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann raised questions about the impartiality of investigative agencies, Deputy CM and Bihar RJD chief Tejashwi Yadav and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav opposed the central government's raids on opposition leaders.

The development comes a day after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his first election rally in Karnataka over the arrest of Manish Sisodia in the Delhi Excise Policy case. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener, who is visiting poll-bound Karnataka, has raised questions as to why Channagiri BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa was not arrested even after anti-corruption authorities recovered crores of rupees from his residence.

In his first election public meeting in Karnataka, the AAP supremo said, “Karnataka has a 40% commission government.” In this context, Kejriwal referred to the recovery of unaccounted cash of Rs 8.23 crore from Virupakshapp's son Prashanth Kumar.

BJP IS RESPONDING

Reacting to the opposition move, BJP leader Kapil Mishra compared the letter to the letter sent seeking relief for prime accused Ajmal Kasab on 26/11 and said the letters confirmed that a crime had been committed.