'ED, CBI working at BJP's behest; 95% of those arrested are opposition politicians': P Chidambaram

New Delhi: Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Tuesday (November 8, 2022) hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and said that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) are working at its behest. Chidambaram, who was in poll-bound Gujarat to campaign for his party, also stated that 95% of those arrested by central agencies are opposition politicians. The former union minister also slammed the saffron party over its "arrogance", saying no one so far has apologised or resigned for the Morbi bridge collapse tragedy which claimed 135 lives. Chidambaram also claimed that Gujarat was being "run from Delhi" and not by the chief minister of the state.

"They are handmaidens of the BJP. Ninety five per cent of the arrests they are making are of politicians of opposition parties," the Congress leader said when asked if he thinks central probe agencies like the CBI and ED were being misused.

Speaking on the suspension bridge on the Machchuu river that collapsed in Gujarat's Morbi district on October 30, Chidambaram said, "As per my knowledge nobody has apologised or resigned for such a big tragedy. This is due to the BJP's arrogance. If such a thing would have happened in a foreign country, there would have been immediate resignations."

"They have not apologised as the government here thinks they will easily win the coming elections and they need not be accountable for the incident," he added.

"In those states where people defeat the government, they feel accountable. I would appeal to the people of Gujarat to change this government and give a chance to the Congress," Chidambaram said.

The Gujarat Assembly polls are scheduled to take place in two phases on December 1 and 5 and the counting of votes will be taken up on December 8.

On the issue of BJP-ruled states announcing the formation of committees to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), the Congress leader said, "Even a child knows that states cannot implement it, it can be done by Parliament."

(With agency inputs)