The CBI on Friday raided the Jodhpur-based businessman brother of Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot, the most powerful voice in the country against the alleged misuse of central agencies to harass Opposition leaders.
Congress veteran Gehlot, who reached Jaipur from Delhi on Friday, said: “We are not going to be frightened. I will return to Delhi on Monday to join the protest when Rahul Gandhi will be interrogated by the ED. I had asked for time from the heads of the CBI, ED and the income tax department to convey to them what the people are thinking about them, how their credibility has gone down because of political vendetta. They didn’t give me time and raided my brother instead.”
The Congress, which has decided to meet President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday to submit a petition against Delhi police for the alleged use of brutal force against party leaders and MPs, rallied behind Gehlot, describing the CBI raid as an extension of vendetta politics. Gehlot’s brother, Agrasen, had earlier been raided in the same case when the Congress leader’s government had become unstable because of a rebellion by Sachin Pilot. The case relates to a fertilizer scam dating back 15 years.
Rahul tweeted: “Harassment of Opposition leaders who stand up and speak truth to power has become the hallmark of the BJP Government. I stand in solidarity with Ashok Gehlot ji and his family against this politics of vendetta. Our fight will go on.”
Congress communications chief Jairam Ramesh tweeted: “This is vendetta politics beyond all bounds. Ashok Gehlot was at the forefront of the protests in Delhi over the past three days, and this is Modi Government’s brazen response! We will not be silenced!”
Gehlot has been at the helm, along with Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, of the political resistance put up by the Congress against what the party has described as harassment of Rahul by the ED in the National Herald case.
Gehlot had tried to expand the scope of the Congress charge by linking governance issues to politics of vendetta, arguing that Prime Minister Modi was harassing Opposition leaders to ensure they don’t expose his failures. He also repeatedly wondered what stopped Modi from issuing a public appeal for communal harmony.
Gehlot and Baghel could be critical to the Congress’s ability to sustain a political campaign against the Modi government if the ED acts against Rahul.
With an ailing Sonia Gandhi in hospital and Rahul facing the possibility of action that might restrict him, the young and inexperienced Congress leadership will look up to someone like Gehlot to steer the ship out of such political turbulence. Gehlot has declared that the fight will go on.
His brother Agrasen faced the CBI raid in connection with a 2007 fertilizer scam. Both his home and business establishment were searched early on Friday. Agrasen runs Anupam Krishi, a business earlier raided by the ED in the same case.
The case pertains to alleged illegal export of muriate of potash, which is imported by Indian Potash Limited (IPL) and distributed among farmers, through companies at subsidised rates.
According to officials, Agrasen, who was an authorised dealer for IPL, bought MoP at subsidised rates and sold it to some companies instead of distributing it to farmers.
