Opposition criticises PM Modi for praising ED action, claims “misuse of law can be seen”

New Delhi [India], April 16 (ANI): The Opposition has criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for saying that the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) was doing its job well, in an exclusive interview with ANI on Monday, days before the country goes to poll.

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has become a safe haven for corrupt individuals because political leaders who have income tax cases against them join the ruling party to get a clean chit from the government.

“The misuse of the law that can be seen now, it was not there earlier during our regime. Now people can see that those who are lodged under any income tax case if they join the BJP are given a clean chit. This means that BJP has all the people in it who do fraud, associated with syndicate and are corrupt. BJP has become a refuge for all corrupt individuals,” Gogoi said speaking to ANI hours after the interview was aired.

West Bengal Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Shashi Panja said that the Prime Minister heaped praises on the ED because the anti-money laundering agency has been working on his directions and chasing every opposition party.

“He (PM Modi) was praising the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Now obviously he will praise the ED because on their directions and on their indications, the ED has been chasing every political party which is in opposition to the BJP. So obviously he will claim that they have done a wonderful job. And corruption does not seem to be beyond non-BJP states and non-BJP parties. It is not there in BJP at all,” Panja said speaking to ANI.

Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole hit out at the Prime Minister for repeatedly stressing in his election campaigns that what he has done in the last 10 years of government is only the “trailer.” Patole also said that what is left for the Prime Minister to do is destroy the Constitution.

“In the past 10 years, they (BJP) have only sold the country, they have done nothing for the country. Now he is saying ‘Picture baki hai’. What else is left? Our country is in debt, we have sold our (national) properties, our railways. Now what is left of your ‘picture’ is destroying the Constitution,” Patole said.

Taking a jibe at the Prime Minister’s earlier ‘jhola leke aye hain’ (come with a jhola bag) remark, Patole said that people will vote him out of power in the Lok Sabha elections and the time has come for PM Modi to leave taking his ‘jhola’.

“The country’s people are aware, the democratic system is strong and people are aware of your vision to destroy the democratic system of the country. They have made up their minds to throw him (PM Modi) out of power. Keep your (PM Modi) vision to yourself. You had said earlier, ‘Main jholi leke aya, jholi leke jaunga’ (I have come with a jhola bag, leave with a jhola bag), I think that the time has come for it,” Patole said.

In the interview with ANI, PM Modi said that Rs 2200 crore has been recovered in cash by the ED during his tenure.

“Before 2014, the same ED had recovered Rs 34 lakh in cash, the money that can be kept in a school bag. In the last ten years, we have recovered Rs 2200 crore in cash…It means that the ED is doing its job well. They have captured people and cash as well and I am convinced that the corruption has destroyed the country,” he had said.