Kabirdham (Chhattisgarh) [India], July 22 : Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma on Tuesday launched an attack against Congress for protesting against the Enforcement Directorate (ED) following the arrest of former CM Bhupesh Baghel's son, Chaitanya Baghel.
Slamming the Congress, Vijay Sharma asked if the Congress does not want action against the corrupt and considers Bhupesh Baghel and his son above the law.
Deputy CM Sharma told ANI, "Is this a matter of public welfare? Does Congress want to say that no action should be taken against the corrupt? Does the Congress want to say that Bhupesh Baghel and his son are above the law? If they want to say this, then I strongly condemn it."
Condemning Congress' call for an economic blockade and chakkajam (blockade), he added that no disturbance will be allowed.
"The economic blockade that they announced yesterday is wrong. No kind of disturbance will be allowed. The police administration will work fully for the security of institutions and establishments," he said.
Congress workers held protests against the investigation agency at VIP chowk in Raipur, Mungeli, Jagdalpur and Rajnandgaon from 12 to 2 pm on Tuesday.
The Enforcement Directorate arrested Chaitanya Baghel on July 18. The move came after the agency seized Rs 30 lakh from the residence of Bhupesh Baghel and his son Chaitanya in March this year.
The amount was recovered during a day-long search operation conducted at a total of 14 locations across Chhattisgarh in the case pertaining to alleged irregularities in the liquor trade in Chhattisgarh, involving suspected illegal commissions and money laundering.
ED gathered that Chaitanya Baghel is also a "recipient of proceeds of crime generated from the liquor scam, wherein total proceeds of crime is around Rs 2,161 crore siphoned off through various schemes."
Meanwhile, today, Bhupesh Baghel hit out at the Enforcement Directorate (ED), labelling it as a "wing" of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Responding to remarks made by the Supreme Court while dismissing ED's appeals seeking an investigation against his wife, BM Parvathi, Baghel said that it was a "slap" for the central agency to be told to do its job.
"No remarks can be bigger than this. It is against the centre and ED. The way ED is working as a wing of the BJP. It is a slap that ED was told to do their work and let the politicians do their politics. However, the way the situation has developed nationwide, all these actions are being taken by targeting the people of the opposition," Baghel told reporters.
His remarks come after the Supreme Court asked ED, "Why was it being used?"
The apex court dismissed appeals made by the ED seeking an investigation BM Parvathi, in connection with alleged irregularities regarding illegal land allotments by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA).