Opposition accuses centre of misusing central agencies, asks why probe against Himanta Biswa Sarma in Saradha case stopped

New Delhi: Nine Opposition leaders have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleging “misuse of central agencies” after the arrest of AAP minister Manish Sisodia in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy case. 

In the letter, they cited the example of former Congress member and current Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma. They mentioned that CM Sarma was probed by the CBI and the ED in 2014, and 2015 over the Saradha chit fund scam but the case did not progress after he joined the BJP.

Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!

The signatories of the letter addressed to PM Narendra Modi, include Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal (AAP), Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao (BRS), West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee (TMC), Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann (AAP), National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav, and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav (RJD).

Also Read: Assam: Man trampled to death by wild elephant in Morigaon

The signatories, however, had no one from Indian National Congress.

Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!

The letter states that Sisodia was arrested by the CBI after a ‘long witch-hunt’ even though there wasn’t a single piece of evidence against him.

9 Opposition Leaders including CM @ArvindKejriwal write to PM Modi??

“@msisodia's arrest will be cited worldwide as an example of a political witch-hunt & further confirm what the world was only suspecting- India's democratic values stand threatened under an authoritarian BJP” pic.twitter.com/3ELL5N88UJ

— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) March 5, 2023

They also alleged that the central government has “misplaced priorities”, with no action being taken following the Hindenburg report on alleged fraud by Adani Group companies, and questioned why action against BJP leaders by investigating agencies seems to be “slow”.

Also Read: Assam: Man beats wife to death with hammer in Guwahati

The letter also noted that since 2014, there has been a clear increase in the number of raids, charges, and arrests of Opposition leaders. 

The letter concluded by attacking governors across the country for “wilfully undermining democratically-elected state governments and choosing instead to obstruct governance as per their whims and fancies”, stating that “a war was being waged against the country’s federalism” and that the governors have become “the face of widening rift between the central government and states run by the non-BJP government.”