The Congress party has accused the central government of carrying out politically motivated raids against one of its MLAs from Haryana. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) recently conducted searches at the premises of Rao Dan Singh, a Congress MLA from Mahendragarh. This was part of an investigation into an alleged bank loan fraud case involving Rs. 1,392 crores.
Several top Congress leaders from Haryana have alleged that the timing of these searches is suspect and intended to pressure the opposition ahead of upcoming elections. Udai Bhan, President of Haryana Congress said “Whenever elections are around the corner, be it in Maharashtra, Jharkhand or now in Haryana, such raids take place.” He claimed the probes are being conducted at the behest of the ruling BJP government to target political opponents.
Deepender Hooda, Congress MP from Rohtak stated that it has become the standard practice of the ruling dispensation to misuse agencies like ED for narrow political gains. He pointed out similar actions have been witnessed across several states where the opposition is at the receiving end of such investigations. However, CM Manohar Lal maintained that the ED functions independently and takes action based on evidence. He said the “law will follow its own course.”
The ED action comes just two days after a visit to Mahendragarh by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Rao Dan Singh is considered a close confidant of former Haryana CM and senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda. Both Hooda and Udai Bhan reiterated faith in the judiciary but asserted people are now aware of how probe bodies are being politicized for targeting rivals. It remains to be seen how this issue develops further in the political landscape of Haryana.
