"Timing, objective, intent suspicious": Sachin Pilot on ED action in Rajasthan

New Delhi [India], October 26 : Congress leader Sachin Pilot said that the "timing", "objective" and "intent" behind the raids conducted by the central government agencies in Rajasthan is "suspicious", which determines that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) finds itself weak ahead of the Rajasthan assembly elections.
"We have elections in Rajasthan in a few days. The Model Code of Conduct is in place here... The timing, objective and the intent of the raids conducted by the central government agencies in Jaipur and other cities today is questionable and suspicious," Pilot said in a press conference on Thursday.
"The way the BJP is specifically targeting Congress leaders without any factual evidence after realising that they will be losing defeat in the upcoming election is condemnable," he added.
Pilot said that it is a well-known fact that the central government has been misusing the central agencies for its political benefits. However, he said that using the agencies before the elections to threaten Congress leaders is condemnable.
"It is widely known that the central government has been misusing the investigating agenices. But the nation and the state have taken a serious note of the way these agencies were used just before the elections to threaten the Congress party leaders," the former Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister said.
He added that the Congress party would welcome an impartial probe into any corrupt individual. However, he said that the BJP is targeting Congress leaders without any factual evidence.
"Congress is against corruption. We believe that if an impartial investigation is carried out and evidence is collected against an accused, then the person should be investigated. But the way the BJP is specifically targeting Congress leaders without any factual evidence after realising that they will be losing defeat in the upcoming election is condemnable," he said.
Pilot, who had earlier served as the president of the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee, said that the ED raid on Thursday showed that when the BJP falls short politically, it uses the investigative agencies to create a sense of fear in the opposition camp.
"The way the Congress state president was raided without any summons or evidence is just to convey the message that if the BJP falls short politically, then they can use investigative agencies like CBI, ED, Income Tax. These will be misused to create a sense of fear in the opposition camp," he said.
"In a democracy, political parties should fight by their vision, their manifesto, their ideology, and the personality of their leaders. Bharatiya Janata Party is lagging behind in all the five election-bound states. Today's actions is a complete sign of that," he added.
Continuing with his argument, Pilot said that using the 'agencies' as a political weapon is detrimental for democracy.
"We are against corruption. But over here, the ED is investigating and the BJP is answering and justifying their actions...Using agencies as a political weapon is detrimental to democracy," he said.
Lending support to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Pilot condemned the summons issued against the Chief Minister's son, Vaibhav Gehlot in a 12-year-old case.
"This case is 12 years old. Everybody knows the motive behind suddenly summoning him just after the announcement of polling date," Pilot said.
In a message to his party workers, Pilot said that they should take inspiration from Congress MP Rahul Gandhi.
"We should take inspiration from Rahul Gandhi. Various cases were lodged against him; he was summoned time and again by the ED and he appeared before them. So Congress has nothing to fear. We will fight the election with full force and win," he said.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday conducted raids at the residence of Rajasthan Congress Chief Govind Singh Dotasara in connection with the Senior Teacher 2nd Grade Competitive Examination, 2022 Paper Leak case.
Rajasthan will go to polls on November 25. The Congress has released the names of 76 candidates for the election. The party is in direct contest with the BJP in the state.