Jaipur, July 22 The Congress on Wednesday termed the raids conducted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) at the residence of Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's brother Agrasain Gehlot and other places as 'a weapon for intimidation'.
Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said that the ED raids are being conducted as a weapon for intimidation and threatening the MLAs.
"The BJP is challenging the stable government which has been elected by the people. On July 20-21, CBI questioned our MLA Krishna Poonia. The ruling government from Delhi is trying to exert pressure on the state government with these acts," he added.
The ED on Wednesday conducted raids at various locations across the country including the residence of Agrasain Gehlot in connection with the fertilizer scam. The ED team reached wearing PPE kits for the raids.
Surjewala said that on July 21, the Chief Minister's OSD was called by the CBI. Now Agrasain Gehlot has been targeted. These are people who are being raided despite the fact that they are neither in politics nor do they have anything to do with it.
"You might have got the people of other states afraid by such threats, however, the people of Rajasthan and the MLAs of Gehlot will not be afraid with these means," he added.
The ED team started search operations at Agrasain Gehlot's residence in Mandore as well as at his office and shop in Pivot. Armed personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force were deployed during the operation.
Agrasain Gehlot owns an office and a shop in Pavta, named Anupam Agricultural Fertilizer. This office and shop date back to 1980. The Chief Minister has been running his election office from this place since the beginning. An office is built above this two-storey shop and all election related work is done from here. Apart from this, the Chief Minister has been addressing public meetings in front of this shop from the beginning before he goes to file his nomination papers.
The ED team also reached the residence of Congress former MP Badriram Jakhad who is known to be a strong supporter of Ashok Gehlot.
( With inputs from IANS )