Nine Opposition leaders write to PM on ‘misuse’ of central businesses; Slam Sisodia arrest

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Days after the arrest of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia by the CBI on an excise coverage case, 9 opposition leaders have written to the Prime Minister flagging the blatant misuse of investigating businesses to get rid of the opposition and alleged that the arrest ‘was indicative of India’s transition from being a democracy to an autocracy.’

The problem of Governors performing in violation of the constitutional provisions and hindering the governance of the states was raised in a letter signed by fundamental Opposition leaders together with Arvind Kejriwal (AAP) Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) chief Chandrasekhar Rao, Jammu & Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) chief Farooq Abdullah, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray.

“On the twenty sixth of February 2023, after an extended witch-hunt, Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in reference to alleged irregularity with out a shred of proof in opposition to him. The allegations in opposition to Sisodia are outrightly baseless and smack of a political conspiracy,” acknowledged the letter.

“The arrest suggests that “we have transitioned from being a democracy to an autocracy,” it acknowledged.

ALSO READ | Delhi Court extends Manish Sisodia’s CBI custody by two days until March 6

Significantly, Congress, DMK and JD(U) have been lacking from the checklist of signatories. The absence of events assumes significance as there have been renewed calls by the Congress celebration to unite all opposition events to battle the Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) within the run-up to the 2024 General elections. The eighty fifth Plenary session of Congress in Raipur has additionally stated that the formation of a 3rd entrance will solely bolster BJP-led alliances.  

The letter, additionally signed by Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav and RJD chief Tejashwi Yadav, identified that Sisodia is recognised globally for remodeling Delhi’s faculty schooling.

“His arrest will be cited worldwide as an example of a political witch-hunt and further confirm what the world was only suspecting – that India’s democratic values stand threatened under an authoritarian BJP regime,” it stated.

The leaders additionally accused the BJP authorities of going gradual on circumstances in opposition to Opposition politicians who be part of the BJP.

“For example, former Congress member and current Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was probed by the CBI and the ED in 2014 and 2015 over the Saradha chit fund scam. However, the case didn’t progress after he joined the BJP. Similarly, former TMC leaders Suvendu Adhikari and Mukul Roy were under the ED and CBI scanner in the Narada sting operation case but the cases didn’t progress after they joined the BJP ahead of the assembly polls in the state. There are many such examples, including that of Narayan Rane of Maharashtra,” acknowledged the letter.

Letter by main Opposition events to the Prime Minister. Click right here to learn the total letter

The leaders additional stated that since 2014, there was a marked rise within the variety of raids carried out and circumstances lodged in opposition to and arrests of the opposition leaders. “Be it Lalu Prasad Yadav, Sanjay Raut, Azam Khan, Nawab Malik, Anil Deshmukh, Abhishek Banerjee, central agencies have often sparked suspicion that they were working as extended wings of the ruling dispensation at the Centre,” they stated

The timings of the circumstances lodged or arrests made have coincided with elections making it abundantly clear that they have been politically motivated, stated the letter

The investigation businesses have their priorities misplaced, stated the leaders. Referring to the Adani-Hindenburg report, the letter raised questions over why the company has not been pressed into service to research the agency’s (Adani group) monetary irregularities regardless of the general public cash being at stake.

“Following the publication of an international forensic financial research report, SBI and LIC have reportedly lost over Rs 78,000 crores in market capitalisation of their shares due to exposure to a certain firm,” stated the letter.

Condemning the alleged misuse of the workplace of Governors in Opposition dominated states, the letter stated {that a} conflict is being waged in opposition to the nation’s federalism. “The offices of the Governors across the country are acting in violation of the constitutional provisions and frequently hindering the governance of the state. They are wilfully undermining democratically elected state governments and choosing instead to obstruct governance as per their whims and fancies,” it identified.

“Be it the Governor of Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Punjab, Telangana or the Lt Governor of Delhi – the Governors have become the face of the widening rift between the Centre and states run by the non-BJP governments and threaten the spirit of cooperative federalism, which the states continue to nurture in spite of a lack of expression by the Centre. As a result, the people of our country have now begun to question the role of the Governors in Indian democracy,” stated the letter.

The leaders stated that the federal government ought to respect the mandate given by the individuals even when it was in favour of a celebration whose ideology was opposite to the ruling regime.  “The misuse of central agencies and constitutional offices like that of the Governor since 2014 has tarnished their image and raised questions about their autonomy and impartiality. The faith of the people of India in these agencies continues to erode. In a democracy, the will of the people is supreme,” it stated.. 

NEW DELHI: Days after the arrest of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia by the CBI on an excise coverage case, 9 opposition leaders have written to the Prime Minister flagging the blatant misuse of investigating businesses to get rid of the opposition and alleged that the arrest ‘was indicative of India’s transition from being a democracy to an autocracy.’

The problem of Governors performing in violation of the constitutional provisions and hindering the governance of the states was raised in a letter signed by fundamental Opposition leaders together with Arvind Kejriwal (AAP) Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) chief Chandrasekhar Rao, Jammu & Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) chief Farooq Abdullah, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray.

“On the twenty sixth of February 2023, after an extended witch-hunt, Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in reference to alleged irregularity with out a shred of proof in opposition to him. The allegations in opposition to Sisodia are outrightly baseless and smack of a political conspiracy,” acknowledged the letter.googletag.cmd.push(operate() googletag.show(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); );

“The arrest suggests that “we have transitioned from being a democracy to an autocracy,” it acknowledged.

ALSO READ | Delhi Court extends Manish Sisodia’s CBI custody by two days until March 6

Significantly, Congress, DMK and JD(U) have been lacking from the checklist of signatories. The absence of events assumes significance as there have been renewed calls by the Congress celebration to unite all opposition events to battle the Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) within the run-up to the 2024 General elections. The eighty fifth Plenary session of Congress in Raipur has additionally stated that the formation of a 3rd entrance will solely bolster BJP-led alliances.  

The letter, additionally signed by Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav and RJD chief Tejashwi Yadav, identified that Sisodia is recognised globally for remodeling Delhi’s faculty schooling.

“His arrest will be cited worldwide as an example of a political witch-hunt and further confirm what the world was only suspecting – that India’s democratic values stand threatened under an authoritarian BJP regime,” it stated.

The leaders additionally accused the BJP authorities of going gradual on circumstances in opposition to Opposition politicians who be part of the BJP.

“For example, former Congress member and current Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was probed by the CBI and the ED in 2014 and 2015 over the Saradha chit fund scam. However, the case didn’t progress after he joined the BJP. Similarly, former TMC leaders Suvendu Adhikari and Mukul Roy were under the ED and CBI scanner in the Narada sting operation case but the cases didn’t progress after they joined the BJP ahead of the assembly polls in the state. There are many such examples, including that of Narayan Rane of Maharashtra,” acknowledged the letter.

Letter by main Opposition events to the Prime Minister. Click right here to learn the total letter

The leaders additional stated that since 2014, there was a marked rise within the variety of raids carried out and circumstances lodged in opposition to and arrests of the opposition leaders. “Be it Lalu Prasad Yadav, Sanjay Raut, Azam Khan, Nawab Malik, Anil Deshmukh, Abhishek Banerjee, central agencies have often sparked suspicion that they were working as extended wings of the ruling dispensation at the Centre,” they stated

The timings of the circumstances lodged or arrests made have coincided with elections making it abundantly clear that they have been politically motivated, stated the letter

The investigation businesses have their priorities misplaced, stated the leaders. Referring to the Adani-Hindenburg report, the letter raised questions over why the company has not been pressed into service to research the agency’s (Adani group) monetary irregularities regardless of the general public cash being at stake.

“Following the publication of an international forensic financial research report, SBI and LIC have reportedly lost over Rs 78,000 crores in market capitalisation of their shares due to exposure to a certain firm,” stated the letter.

Condemning the alleged misuse of the workplace of Governors in Opposition dominated states, the letter stated {that a} conflict is being waged in opposition to the nation’s federalism. “The offices of the Governors across the country are acting in violation of the constitutional provisions and frequently hindering the governance of the state. They are wilfully undermining democratically elected state governments and choosing instead to obstruct governance as per their whims and fancies,” it identified.

“Be it the Governor of Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Punjab, Telangana or the Lt Governor of Delhi – the Governors have become the face of the widening rift between the Centre and states run by the non-BJP governments and threaten the spirit of cooperative federalism, which the states continue to nurture in spite of a lack of expression by the Centre. As a result, the people of our country have now begun to question the role of the Governors in Indian democracy,” stated the letter.

The leaders stated that the federal government ought to respect the mandate given by the individuals even when it was in favour of a celebration whose ideology was opposite to the ruling regime.  “The misuse of central agencies and constitutional offices like that of the Governor since 2014 has tarnished their image and raised questions about their autonomy and impartiality. The faith of the people of India in these agencies continues to erode. In a democracy, the will of the people is supreme,” it stated..