Opposition leaders condemn T.N. Minister’s arrest, call it ‘vendetta’

Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav expressed apprehension that he too could be arrested; Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge called it ‘political harassment’ and Modi Government’s ‘vendetta’

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav. File | Photo Credit: ANI

Opposition party leaders including Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal condemned the arrest of Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister V. Senthilbalaji by the Enforcement Directorate.

Drawing a direct connection between the arrest of Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister V. Senthilbalaji by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) with the Opposition meeting scheduled for June 23 in Patna where the top leadership of 20 parties will come together for the first time to draft their strategy for the 2024 general election, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav said that it was a “planned action” to intimidate the Opposition and also expressed the apprehension that he too could be arrested just ahead of the meeting.

Mr. Senthilbalaji was arrested late on Tuesday in an alleged case of money laundering.

Mr. Yadav told mediapersons in Patna that the Central agencies became active ahead of any Opposition event and the Minister’s arrest betrayed their anxiety.

“The BJP is scared of the unity of the Opposition and is taking such action. We are ready for all this. I have been saying from the beginning that as June 23 approaches, all this will happen. We have been watching all this and are ready for it in future as well. Till now my name is not there in the charge sheet, but the kind of atmosphere is being made in the country with regard to the Opposition’s unity, it is possible to add my name by bringing a supplementary charge sheet.”

Meanwhile, in Delhi in a statement, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge called it “political harassment” and Narendra Modi Government’s “vendetta” against those who oppose it. “None of us in the Opposition will be intimidated by such brazen moves,” he said.

Rename CBI, ED as ‘BJP’s army’, says Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal who had tweeted on Tuesday condemning the ED action, spoke to reporters in Delhi after his meeting with Communist Party of India general secretary D. Raja. “CBI and ED should be renamed as ‘BJP’s army’,” he said. Even with all these efforts, the BJP would not win any seats in Tamil Nadu, he said.

Mr. Raja, meanwhile, pointed out that the raid took place a few days after Union Home Minister Amit Shah claimed the BJP would win 25 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu during a visit there and the coincidence that this came right after the Karnataka election where BJP was defeated could not be ignored.

“The way ED officers barged into Tamil Nadu Secretariat is highly objectionable and shows their disregard for the federal structure which is held sacrosanct in the Indian Constitution,” he said.

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah, said that the Central agencies’ behaviour had become predictable and said that it was “a small price we pay for being in politics”.

He was speaking to reporters at Budgam, in central Kashmir. “We strongly condemn the way they [ED personnel] behaved with the Minister. Today the medical reports show that he has three main arteries blocked and he needs a bypass surgery. I think the Central Government and these agencies should rethink about their behaviour,” Mr. Abdullah added.