Oppn leaders being harassed by CBI-ED raids, alleges Kejriwal


Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday alleged that the Central agencies were being used to target the Opposition.

Arvind Kejriwal was speaking at the inauguration of the key Ashram flyover extension in the National Capital.

The chief minister’s remark came a day after nine Opposition leaders of eight political parties wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi against the arrest of former deputy chief minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia terming it “blatant misuse” of Central agencies against the members of the Opposition.

Manish Sisodia was arrested in connection with an alleged excise policy scam case.

Speaking after inaugurating the flyover extension, Kejriwal said, “Wherever governments of other parties are formed, they are raided by CBI-ED, they are not allowed to work by using governor or lieutenant governor (LG) against them,” he said.

Kejriwal contended that “the country moves forward by working together, not by stopping the work itself”. In this context, he called the visit of a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team to former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi’s residence as “humiliating”. “This is wrong, raids like these are humiliating,” he said.

On being asked can this be seen in connection with the letter written by the Opposition leaders to Narendra Modi, the chief minister said, “It can also be seen in that context.

He said it is becoming a trend that wherever there is an Opposition government, they won’t be allowed to function. They (the BJP) use the ED, the CBI and governor to trouble them. Democracy will flourish only when everyone works together. Hence, whoever is in government should be allowed to work without interference.”

Earlier in the day, a CBI team reached the residence of former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi in Patna in connection with the land-for-job case. The raid is being seen as a political vendetta against ruling RJD in Bihar.