Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday called for the abolition of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), questioning the need for such an agency when others like the income tax department already deal with economic offences.
“There are many agencies like income tax to look into issues of economic offences. What’s the need for an agency like the ED?” Yadav said, addressing the media in Bhubaneswar.
Yadav was in Odisha as part of the Samajik Nyaya (Social Justice) campaign for Dalits, Adivasis and backward communities. His remarks came amidst controversy over the alleged misuse of central agencies and a prosecution complaint filed by the ED against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and others in the National Herald case.
“The Congress created the ED. Now they are facing the consequences. I recently spoke to a senior journalist on the issue. There are already institutions like income tax for such matters. Departments like the ED should be abolished,” he asserted.
He added that they had always opposed the creation of the ED. “I will urge the Congress to take up the demand for the ED’s abolition. The existence of the ED indicates a lack of trust in agencies like income tax and GST,” he said.
The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also accused the BJP government of misusing central agencies for political vendetta. “I have information about Maharashtra, where any leader opposing the BJP faces action by central agencies such as the CBI, ED, or income tax. There is no protection against their misuse,” Yadav said.
In Bhubaneswar, the Odisha Pradesh Congress on Wednesday gheraoed the local ED office, demanding the abolition of the agency.
Yadav also weighed in on the contentious issue of delimitation. “Let there be a census first, then we can talk about delimitation,” he said.
Reflecting on the demand for a caste-based census, he added: “We had earlier fought with the Congress on this issue. I still remember how tall leaders like Netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav), Lalu Prasad Yadav, Sharad Yadav, and leaders from South India had rallied for a caste census. It did not materialise then, but I am happy the Congress has now agreed. Without a caste census, the goal of social justice cannot be achieved.”
He reiterated the SP’s commitment to fighting for Dalits, Adivasis, minorities and other marginalised groups. “We will take everyone along with us. We will continue our struggle to uphold democracy, the Constitution given to us by Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar, and his vision of equality, dignity, and inclusivity.”
Yadav also called on senior Congress leader and former Union minister Srikant Jena at his residence and discussed ways to strengthen the fight for social justice.
Stressing the importance of unity within the INDIA bloc, Yadav said he had met leaders from the NCP, CPI, CPM, RJD, SP and other constituents. “All agreed to fight together for social justice. Once, it was a core electoral issue. Now, with the changing political landscape, the idea of justice cannot be separated from the pursuit of social justice,” he said.
Yadav also criticised the BJP’s "double engine" governments, claiming they had failed to deliver in Uttar Pradesh. “They are colliding, not complementing,” he said.
