BHUBANESWAR: Amidst the renewed political storm over the National Herald case, president of Samajwadi Party (SP) and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday called for abolishing the Enforcement Directorate (ED) stating it has become a tool in the hands of the Centre to harass the Opposition leaders and silence their voices.
Addressing a media conference here along with former Union minister and senior Congress leader Srikant Jena, Yadav said the ED should be disbanded as there are several institutions like the Income Tax department to investigate economic offences. Yadav’s remarks came in response to a question regarding the ED filing a prosecution complaint against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case.
He pointed out that several political parties including his own, had opposed the creation of the ED during the Congress-led government’s tenure, warning that the very institution might later be used against them.”Now, the Congress is in trouble because of the organisation,” Yadav said.
Alleging rampant misuse of ED, Yadav said Maharashtra is a prime example where leaders who spoke against the BJP were targeted by agencies like the ED, CBI and Income Tax Department.
“In my understanding, a department like ED must be abolished. I will also ask the Congress to demand the same. If such an agency exists, it means you do not trust your own mechanisms,” he said.
The SP president also expressed a keen interest in expanding the party’s reach in Odisha stating the base in the state was limited. For the purpose, he suggested engaging with the people at the ground-level. “I have come to Odisha on several occasions but this visit is special,” Yadav said.
Both Yadav and Jena demanded a caste-based census so as to ensure justice is meted out to the people of the backward classes. “We are demanding a caste-based census which senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has also demanded,” he said.
Meanwhile, Yadav’s visit to the residence of Jena straight from the Bhubaneswar airport has fuelled speculations on the future of the latter. Jena was an aspirant for the post of president of the OPCC. However, he denied any move on his part to quit the Congress.
Later in the day, the SP supremo, who was also accompanied by his wife and Lok Sabha MP Dimple Yadav, visited Puri to offer their prayers at the Shree Jagannath Temple.