UPA holds protest outside Jharkhand Rajbhavan against 'misuse' of Central agencies

The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) held a protest on Monday outside Raj Bhavan here against alleged misuse of central agencies.

The UPA workers held the demonstration to lodge their protest against alleged misuse of central agencies including against Hemant Soren government in Jharkhand.

Addressing the protesters, UPA leaders said that Hemant Soren will emerge stronger as much his government is harassed.

Hemant government is fulfilling its election agenda. Be it ED, CBI or IB or income tax all these are misused in an attempt to blemish its image, they added.

If you force us to go to go to extreme, we will become extremist but will not prefer to wear bangles, they added.

Our faith in this country's constitution has further strengthened, they said.

On the contrary, BJP spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo claimed on Friday that Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren was hiding a lot because of which he was evading the summons by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren was summoned by ED on Thursday for investigation over contravention of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and in a money laundering probe linked to an illegal mining case in the Sahebganj district.

"CM Soren is holding a constitutional post, hence he should naturally be cooperating with the investigating agency and helping them with the ongoing investigation, but he rather threatened the agency first to arrest him and later came up with a U-turn asking for a three weeks' time. This says that he has a lot to hide because of which he is evading ED summons," said BJP spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo.

Shahdeo further said that CM Soren's indulging into such political statements is unfortunate as the CM and his party leaders are disrupting the ongoing criminal investigation.

ED had sent a notice to Chief Minister Soren and was asked to come to the zonal office of the agency on Thursday to answer the agency's queries, however, he did not turn up and sent a time petition to the federal agency.

As per sources, the ED has not given any response as to when the agency intends to call him in the wake of the request made by him.

Hemant Soren on Thursday had challenged the ED to arrest him instead of sending summons to him for questioning.

Soren was to appear before the ED in its regional office in Ranchi on Thursday but he skipped his visit.

Addressing the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) workers outside his official residence before leaving for Raipur to attend a tribal festival being organiaed by the Chhattisgarh government, Soren had urged his party workers to be prepared for a long political fight against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"I have been summoned by ED today when I already have a programme in Chhattisgarh today. If I have committed a crime that big, come and arrest me. Why the questioning?... Security near the ED office has increased. Why, are you scared of people of Jharkhand?" said Soren, amidst heavy sloganeering in support from his party workers.

Soren said the federal agency, as a part of a larger conspiracy to destabilise his government which got a historic mandate in 2019, is trying to intimidate them by showing muscle power.

"We have identified a few external gangs in the state who are not letting the state's Adivasis stand on their feet. This state will have the rule of Jharkhandis and not external forces... BJP will be wiped out in the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly polls," Soren had added.

Urging his workers to be ready for a political fight, Soren said they need to go back to villages and expose the "conspiracy of the BJP" to destabilize their government.

"We have not done anything yet. 'Jab Jharkhandi apni cheezo pe utar aayega, toh wo din door nahi jahaan aap logon ko yahaan sar chhupaane ka mauka bhi nahi milega," he said.

Soren also gave a call to the Adivasis of Gujarat to ensure that the BJP loses all tribal seats in the upcoming assembly elections.

( With inputs from ANI )