BJP in state of extreme panic, sensing defeats in Assembly polls: Cong

The Congress hit out at the government Saturday over ED raids against Robert Vadra's associates, alleging that the Modi dispensation was using "high-handed tactics" to threaten people as it was in a "state of panic of the highest degree" sensing poll defeats.

At a press conference at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters here, party spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi also alleged that there was never such a "terror raj" in the "constitutional rule" of India.

"We fought the British Raj and the BJP would do well to know that the day of judgement will come for it," he said.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out searches against three persons linked to Congress leader Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra Friday.

"They are afraid of the Congress and its values, so they are threatening people and using high-handed tactics against those who are relatives of our leaders or are associated with them," Singhvi said.

"This is called character assassination by innuendos and insinuations. When they do not have facts, this is what they will do," he added.

The Congress leader claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was in a "state of panic of the highest degree", sensing rejection from the people in the just-concluded Assembly polls in five states.

"The word 'panic' would be an understatement and all these raids and searches against various people are nothing but a ploy to divert the attention of the people from the real issues and the BJP's failures," he said.

The ED had carried out searches against the three persons in connection with its probe into alleged "commissions received by some suspects in defence deals" and illegal assets stashed abroad, officials had said Friday.

Singhvi claimed that the searches were carried out in violation of laws, adding, "We have nothing against any particular person, but we are talking about principles.... No Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) of the FIR has been shared, no search warrant issued, no access to lawyers, and detained persons were also physically roughed up."
On the exit poll predictions on the election results in the five states, Singhvi said, "We (Congress) do not believe in these (exit polls) fully, but these are indicative of the results to come."
The "illegal raids" against Vadra's associates were "another episode of these concerted conspiracies to target the Congress", he claimed, adding, "The Congress will not be cowed down by such shallow threats."