PM Narendra Modi has created 'raid raj' in India, we are not scared: Congress

UP CM Yogi Adityanath has no right to sit on his throne, he must resign, said the Congress spokesperson

The Centre has created a 'raid raj' but the Congress won't be scared, the party's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said on Wednesday after the Enforcement Directorate conducted searches at the home of Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's brother.

The Congress leader also reacted to the killing of a journalist in Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh and said there was ''gunda raj'' and ''jungle raj'' in the state.

"It is clear there is no law and order in Uttar Pradesh. Becoming a journalist in Uttar Pradesh has become a sin," he said.

"Being a journalist, Vikram Joshi went to the Uttar Pradesh police to get a case filed, but Adityanath and his police did not file a case," he said.

"We demand that if Adityanath ji is unable to protect the citizens of Uttar Pradesh, which is clearly proved, then he has no right to sit on his throne. Such a Chief Minister should resign on his own," he said.

The Congress leader also pointed at similar cases of violence or cases filed against journalists across UP.

"Friends, in Uttar Pradesh, journalism and journalists have become sinful. Remember, on 29th October 2019, a journalist named Ramesh Mishra was murdered in Lakhimpur, but Adityanath ji did nothing till today," he said.

"A case was also filed against journalist Supriya Sharma, who exposed the reality of the village adopted by Prime Minister Modi in Banaras," he slammed at the Centre.

"In Mirzapur, an FIR was lodged against a journalist who showed him the news of feeding salt bread in the mid-day meal. An FIR was also lodged against a journalist who opened a bud in Uttar Pradesh by showing the news of mixing water in milk with water in mid-day meal," he pointed out.

Responding to the raids against Agrasen Gehlot in Jodhpur, Surjewala told reporters, "Prime Minister Modi has created 'raid raj' in the country but we are not going be scared."

When the Centre's gimmicks failed to topple the Congress government in Rajasthan, ED raids started at the premises of Gehlot's elder brother, the spokesperson said.

He added that a CBI team was sent to conduct a raid at a location linked to legislator Krishna Poonia after the Centre's tactics failed to topple an elected government.

Read: ED raids premises of Rajasthan CM Gehlot's brother in fertiliser scam

An Olympian who brought laurels for the nation is being threatened, Surjewala said.

"The CBI also interrogated CM''s OSD and now ED raids are being conducted at CM''s elder brother residence," he said.

The ED raids against the chief minister's brother are part of countrywide raids in connection with a money laundering case linked to a fertiliser scam, officials said.

Agrasen Gehlot faces a Rs 7 crore customs penalty in this alleged fertiliser case, they said.