JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday hit out at the centre over the CBI raid at his brother's residence, saying this will not going to panic him but will ultimately harm the BJP only.
Gehlot said that the raid was an act of revenge by the centre for his recent activism in Delhi. The CBI on Friday raided Agrasen Gehlot's residence in Jodhpur in connection with a corruption case. An Enforcement Directorate (ED) team too had raided his place in 2020.
"If I am active in Delhi or have participated in this movement for Rahul Gandhi, then why revenge is taken from my brother? When there was a political crisis here in our government in 2020, at that time also the ED had raided my brother's place," Gehlot told reporters at the airport here after returning from the national capital.
He said, "It's not fair. We are not going to panic because of this." "No member of my family is involved in politics. It is beyond comprehension that first they conducted an ED raid, and now a raid by the CBI. Even the people of the country have no taste for this. At last, the loss will only be of BJP and of the central government. The more they harass the people of the country, the more adverse impact they will suffer," he said.
Gehlot said that he had recently sought an appointment with the Director of CBI and the ED and the Chairman of the Income Tax Department. He said, "On June 13, time was sought, on 15 the case was registered, and on June 17 there were raids.
What is this approach, it is beyond comprehension?" Gehlot was in Delhi for several days to participate in the Congress' protest against the questioning of Rahul Gandhi by the ED in a money laundering case.
Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasra described the action against Gehlot as an act of political vendetta.
"Fearful of the Congress' revolution, the central government is intimidating the Congress leaders and their families by CBI and ED raids. Action against CM Gehlot's brother is proof of this. We will neither be afraid, nor bow down," Dotasra tweeted.