The allegations in the Delhi Excise Policy matter are serious and should be probed, the Congress said on Monday, after a court sent former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia to judicial custody till March 20.
Asserting that it is clear on its stand on the “misuse” of central agencies against opposition leaders, the party also condemned the CBI’s “raid” at former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi’s residence.
Earlier in the day, a court here sent Sisodia to judicial custody till March 20 in the Delhi Excise Policy case after the CBI said it does not require the senior AAP leader’s custody for the time being.
The CBI had arrested Sisodia last week in connection with alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-cancelled liquor policy for 2021-22.
Asked why the Congress is “confused” about its stand on the issue, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said, “We are not at all confused, our stand is clear. We condemn the CBI raid on Rabri Devi’s residence.” are… It’s no coincidence.” That Enforcement Directorate cases have increased four times since 2014 and 95 per cent cases are against opposition leaders.”
A CBI team on Monday visited Rabri Devi’s residence in Patna for questioning in connection with the land-for-job scam. The team reached Rabri Devi’s residence at 10, Circular Road at around 10.30 am and stayed inside for five hours.
The CBI said that no search or raid was conducted at the residence of Rabri Devi.
“Our stand…is clear that agencies are being misused to target the opposition. But…it is a fact that the Delhi Liquor Policy was being formulated at a time when Delhi was gasping for breath during the pandemic. Had this policy been in place, there would have been a liquor shop under every household, in complete disregard of women’s safety, if it was not withdrawn, Shrinate said at a press conference here.
He said, “So how will questions not arise? Questions will also arise because when these agencies take action against opposition leaders, be it our leaders, from Bihar or Maharashtra, the Aam Aadmi Party does not utter a word.” “
The Congress leader said AAP has to decide whether it is the ‘B-team’ of the BJP or with the opposition and if it is with the opposition, it should stand with other parties on all issues.
When the entire opposition was supporting the Congress when the ED was plotting against its leaders, why didn’t AAP join in, he asked.
He said, “The biggest hypocrisy is of the BJP. You had seven MPs and eight MLAs, you had many corporators, but when the liquor policy was being made, they all remained mute spectators. See the list of beneficiaries of AAP’s policy, majority were BJP donors,” Shrinet alleged.
“Our stand is clear, the allegations (in the Excise Policy case) are very serious, we are the original complainants, and they should be probed in the cases,” she said.
Recently, nine opposition leaders including chief ministers Mamata Banerjee, Arvind Kejriwal and K Chandrasekhar Rao wrote a joint letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleging “gross misuse” of central agencies against members of the opposition.
The other signatories to the letter are Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Tejashwi Yadav (RJD), Sharad Pawar (NCP), Farooq Abdullah (Jammu & Kashmir National Conference), Uddhav Thackeray (Shiv Sena UBT) and Akhilesh Yadav (Samajwadi Party).
(The above article is taken from news agency PTI. Zeenews.com has not made any editorial changes in the article. News agency PTI is solely responsible for the content of the article)