New Delhi: A delegation of the Congress party submitted a memorandum to the Election Commission of India (ECI) asking the poll body to intervene in the conduct of raids by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Punjab alleging it to be a "politically motivated" act, in view of the Assembly elections.
The delegation was comprised of Congress spokespersons Randeep S. Surjewala, Abhishek M. Singhvi, Congress in-charge of Punjab's Harish Chaudhary, Uttarakhand's Devender Yadav, PCC Chief Ganesh Godiyal, and others. The Congress leaders met the Chief Election Commissioner virtually to protest against the raids by ED, alleging that those were being done with a view to "malign" and "defame" the CM and the Congress Government in Punjab.
"The delegation also reminded the CEC about the Model Code of Conduct violations by the Uttarakhand Government for back-dating and tampering of Government records as also Representation of Peoples Act, 1951 in the State of Uttarakhand," a Congress statement said.
In its memorandum to ECI, Congress stated, "The case sought to be built up by the Investigative Agency is deliberately contrived and self-serving and designed to serve the interest of BJP and its allies, who are becoming irrelevant in the political landscape of Punjab. It is also a blatant and audacious abuse of state machinery by the Government of India, which categorically falls under the offense of “undue influence” as provided in the Representation of People Act, 1951 and the Indian Penal Code, 1860."
Congress also pointed out that the Model Code of Conduct is presently in force in the State of Punjab, therefore the raids are even violative of Part VII of the law.
Alleging that the ED raids are a "revenge" against the failure of the Prime Minister's rally in Ferozepur, Congress asked, "What was the Central BJP government and ED doing for 4 years is a valid question to be asked by the present Commission? Why have they suddenly woken up after a four-year-long slumber in the middle of the elections? Does this itself not prove malice and malafide?"
Meanwhile, Congress announced five more candidates for the Goa assembly elections. The list includes-Panaji- Elvis Gomes, Siroda- Tukaram Borkar, Vasco Da Gama- Jose Luis Carlos Almeida, Benaulim- Anthony Dias and Curchorem- Amit Patkar
