New Delhi [India], January 11 : Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit on Saturday questioned the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids at the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) office in Kolkata, alleging that the central agency functions as a political tool of the BJP, especially ahead of elections.
Speaking to ANI, Dikshit questioned why the BJP was showing keen interest in defending the ED's actions.
"Why BJP is taking so much interest in this matter, as it is the ED's job. Who are they to defend or not to defend ED?" he said.
Dikshit alleged that the ED had gone to seize "political files" related to election strategy. Referring to claims made by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, he said the files belonged to I-PAC, which had been hired by the Trinamool Congress for election campaigning.
"ED works like BJP's agent as they want to know what other political parties are doing to gain an upper hand," Dikshit alleged.
He further claimed that the agency's actions intensify only during election periods.
"The ED (Enforcement Directorate) only seems to uncover all the secrets when elections are approaching. Look at how many states there were where raids were conducted on the homes of 2-3 leaders just before the elections, and then after the elections, the raids disappear, and there's no case, nothing," he said.
Dikshit said the BJP should address these allegations.
"The BJP is in power; they should ask their own ED why all this activity happens only during elections, and what they do for the other five years," he added.
He also pointed out that I-PAC had earlier worked with the BJP and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, claiming that no objections were raised then despite the firm's working methods remaining the same.
The remarks come amid a legal and political confrontation following ED raids conducted on Thursday at the Kolkata headquarters of the Indian Political Action Committee and at the residence of its director, Pratik Jain.
Anticipating that the ED may approach the Supreme Court alleging interference in its search operations, the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government has filed a caveat in the apex court, seeking that no order be passed without hearing the state.