Cong cries vendetta politics over CBI raids on Hooda

The Congress on Friday cried vendetta politics over the CBI raids on former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

However, the BJP launched a full-scale attack on the grand old party, saying the Congress “believes corruption is its right.”

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which booked Hooda on cheating and corruption charges in connection with land acquisition in Gurgaon that allegedly favoured private builders, conducted searches at 20 locations including Hooda's residence in Rohtak.

"We condemn in the strongest terms the action today in the form of raids on former Haryana chief minister with the sole purpose of defaming him," Congress spokesperson and former Union minister Anand Sharma told reporters.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has “a mindset” of targeting his political opponents by defaming them with the objective of muzzling the voice of the Opposition and to tarnish the image of their “tall leaders,” he added.

He accused the prime minister of using probe agencies to target former chief ministers, “be it in Rajasthan or Uttar Pradesh."

He also warned “all officials” against “exceeding their brief or acting above the law,” saying they will be held accountable and they will have to answer “once the government changes.”

“The Congress believes that its leaders are entitled to corruption and they should not be investigated," BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra told reporters, reacting to Sharma's remarks.

He also took serious exception to Sharma's warning to officials, saying such "threats" are against the principles of the Constitution.