Thiruvananthapuram (Keralam) [India], May 27 : Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday called the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids at his house in the state in connection with the Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) case a "targeted political vendetta."
ED conducted searches at 10 premises in Keralam, including the residence of former Keralam Chief Minister Vijayan.
Alleged fraudulent payments to Vijayan's daughter Veena have come under scrutiny as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has intensified its Rs 182-crore money laundering probe into the Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) case.
Vijayan slammed the BJP-led central government and also targeted Congress MP Rahul Gandhi.
He said, "They were here conducting a search from 7 pm yesterday until this very moment. The team that came is only following instructions from above; after all, isn't that how our country works now? Being officers, they are bound to obey the orders given by their superiors. However, the way these things are handled is incorrect. It is a form of political interference. I believe their spending so many hours here has actually helped us understand many things. This didn't happen suddenly; the ED has been wanting to do this for a long time."
While accusing the BJP of "coordinated actions against opposition leaders," the CPI(M) Polit Bureau member also pointed out Rahul Gandhi's statement 'Why isn't Pinarayi's house being raided?' in the run-up to the Keralam Assembly elections.
"Even someone like Rahul Gandhi previously questioned, 'Why isn't Pinarayi's house being raided? Why isn't Pinarayi being arrested?' That was what he asked. The BJP government is taking such planned and coordinated actions against opposition leaders and workers across the country. But nobody should delude themselves into thinking they can weaken us with such actions. This is only the beginning for us. We have seen such 'grand designs' before. The people of our state and our party comrades see this for what it truly is--a targeted political vendetta. We are ready to face whatever comes our way with strength and unity. There is much more to say, but I will stop here for now," Vijayan added.
Earlier today, cadres of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) allegedly damaged vehicles belonging to Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials during protests outside the residence of Pinarayi Vijayan amid an ongoing money laundering probe.
Although Vijayan attacked Congress, Keralam Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala has maintained that the United Democratic Front (UDF) government and the Home Ministry in the state had no information regarding the ED raid.