NEW DELHI: A day after former Finance Minister P Chidambaram was arrested by CBI in the INX media case, the Congress Thursday said that over the last two days India witnessed the 'broad daylight murder of democracy' and the 'rule of law' by a Government hell-bent upon using CBI and ED as 'personal revenge-seeking departments' for the party in power.
Reiterating that the party stands with Chidambaram, the Congress said the 'vindictive, selective and malicious manner' in which the former Union Minister has been persecuted and prosecuted is nothing short of a brazen personal and political vendetta.
The senior Congress leader and former Finance Minister was arrested last night amid high drama by the CBI and he spent the night at an agency guest house.
"With the narrative on a sinking economy spiralling out of their control, massive and unprecedented job losses, shocking devaluation of the rupee as Asia’s worst-performing currency and unfathomable crisis in all sectors leading to shutting down of factories and trade, we now see the depths to which a desperate Modi Government 2.0 will stoop to divert the nation’s attention," said Congress media department in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala.
He further said that while many accused in the INX Media case have not been arrested, a senior politician has been arrested without any legal basis.
"Government using CBI, ED as personal revenge-seeking departments for the party in power as also those ruling countries", Surjewala charged.
The party claimed that Chidambaram and his son have not been accused of any offence in the INX Media case.
"Except for the blatant intent of the BJP Government to humiliate and tarnish the reputation of Shri. P. Chidambaram there was no occasion or hurry or reason to arrest him," said Surjewala.
The party expressed faith that the Rule of Law, which is under attack from the ruling BJP Government, shall prevail and the life and liberty enshrined in the Constitution will not become a dead letter.
"A seasoned politician was arrested on the statement of a woman charged with the murder of her own daughter", said Surjewala referring to Indrani Mukherjea.
He further alleged that "false charges" were being heaped on senior political rivals to "silence" everyone in the country.
(With PTI Inputs)