New Delhi/Chennai: The Congress accused Wednesday the Modi government of targeting opposition leaders by using agencies like the Income Tax (I-T) department and Enforcement Directorate (ED), and said the people of India will give a befitting reply to the BJP in the elections.
A day after income tax sleuths along with poll flying squad carried out raids at the residence of DMK leader Kanimozhi at Tuticorin, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, in a series of tweets, said ‘the news’ is that nothing was found during searches in her residence.
The former Finance Minister alleged that the Income Tax department was taking ‘autocratic and partial’ action in Tamil Nadu in the run up to Lok Sabha elections.
“How is it that tip off on opposition leaders alone is received (by officials),” he wondered in his tweet in Tamil. “The marker of the 2019 Parliamentary elections in Tamil Nadu is the I-T’s autocratic and partial steps.”
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala alleged that motivated I-T raids is the only tool left with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and said the people can see through this.
“Hounding Opposition leaders through motivated I-T raids is the only tool left with Modiji. BJP has four allies- PM Modi, Sh Shah, ED and IT to fight these elections. People of India are seeing through this, they will give a befitting reply to BJP, May 23,” Surjewala said on Twitter.
At the AICC briefing, when asked about the raids, Congress leader Kapil Sibal claimed that BJP is ‘flooded’ with money and yet authorities are targeting opposition which is facing cash ‘drought’.
“We all know that if any party is flooded with money, it is the BJP. The opposition is going through a drought period. And who is being targeted, those who are suffering from drought and those who are flooded are not being targeted. That’s the beauty of Indian democracy and this government,” Sibal told reporters.
“Cash : BJP flooded, Opposition drought. Yet Opposition raided (Kanimozhi). I guess Income Tax Authorities convinced BJP fighting this election without cash,” Sibal also tweeted.
Election officials had Tuesday held searches at the residence of DMK leader Kanimozhi in Tuticorin in south Tamil Nadu from where she is contesting.