Heads of central investigating agencies should stop working at behest of one party, have the courage to refuse: Ashok Gehlot

Delhi/Jaipur: Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday yet again alleged that the Narendra Modi government is misusing the central investigating agencies to harass opposition leaders and suppress them. The heads of the agencies should stop working for one political party and have the courage to refuse, Gehlot added.

Asserting that the agencies are losing their credibility for working at the behest of the Centre, Gehlot said that 3,010 raids were launched in the last nine years of which, chargesheets were filed in only 888 cases. "If the raids were sincere and without any malafide intention then why were chargesheets not filed? Can you imagine what was the condition of those innocent people where raids were launched?" he asked.

Addressing media persons at the Congress headquarters in Delhi, Gehlot asked the heads of the investigating agencies not to work as per the Centre's instructions. "You (heads) passed exams and got selected. You took a vow to work for the people and not for a particular political party. Please have the courage to refuse and not always comply," he said.

Gehlot came down heavily on Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in the Sanjivani Credit Cooperative Society scam. He said that the Union Minister is an accused in this case and the Special Operation Group (SOG) is investigating the matter.

The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) has called Sekhawat to provide financial information, but he did not respond, Gehlot alleged saying, "On the contrary, a defamation case was filed against me. We do not have any objection to this because we are working for the people of the state," Gehlot said. Sekhawat had filed a criminal defamation case against Gehlot for defaming him with his remarks on the Sanjivani scam in March.

Referring to Manipur violence, Gehlot said that the incident is not being given the importance it deserves. "The prime minister did not even have the time to visit the trouble-torn state. Even in the Parliament, the voice of the opposition was suppressed in this issue. The people of the country are also watching all this and now they would decide the future," he added.