After NCP leader Ajit Pawar took oath as the new Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Minister Atishi on Sunday said that it is the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) “washing machine” in action.
“Whoever facing corruption charges, facing different cases, they are definitely afraid of the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) and ED (Enforcement Directorate). Such people continuously go to BJP and get themselves cleaned in the BJP’s washing machine. Those who got the call of ED, CBI joined BJP,” she told ANI. Atishi was referring to the claim of many opposition parties against the BJP for allegedly harassing political opponents with the help of investigative agencies like the CBI or ED.
Explaining further, Atishi said, “This is BJP’s way of attacking democracy. Wherever BJP does not win elections, it tries to buy MLAs and forms the government. If they fail in buying MLAs and in Operation Lotus, then ED and CBI will engage them.”
Citing examples from other states she said, “This happened everywhere like in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Goa. First BJP accuses such leaders of corruption and then sends in the CBI and the ED after them. Now Ajit Pawar and other NCP leaders will also be cleared. This is the method of BJP.”
Pointing at the central agencies getting involved in Maharashtra as well, she said, “Here also we saw how the CBI was behind different leaders of Maharashtra, sometimes ED was behind them.”
Hitting out at the BJP, Atishi said, “BJP is violating the Constitution, they do not respect democracy. In a democracy, governments form through elections, but the BJP forms governments undemocratically by unsettling elected governments.”
In a dramatic turn of events, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar on Sunday joined the Eknath Shinde-led government and took oath as the deputy chief minister of the state.