Raipur, February 28: The Congress party in Chhattisgarh has announced a protest against the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday, accusing the agency of acting as an "affiliate organization" of the ruling BJP. As part of the demonstration, the party will burn an effigy of the ED on March 3, state Congress chief Deepak Baij stated.
Addressing a press conference, Baij alleged that the ED recently visited ‘Rajiv Bhavan’ in Raipur and issued a summons seeking details regarding the construction of Congress offices in Sukma and Konta. He criticized the agency for making state Congress in-charge general secretary Malkit Singh Gaindu wait for hours when he voluntarily visited the ED office on Thursday to provide the requested details.
"If the ED required additional information, it could have simply requested it in writing. The Congress will account for every rupee spent on constructing its offices. However, the manner in which Gaindu was questioned, including inquiries about his personal and family properties, indicates an intent to harass," Baij asserted.
He emphasized that the party offices were built using funds collected from functionaries, with full transparency. "The Sukma Rajiv Bhawan cost approximately ₹65 lakh, while the party office in Konta was built for about ₹20 lakh. The entire expenditure was covered by the Pradesh Congress Committee through cheque payments, and every transaction has been audited," he stated.
Baij further called on the ED to investigate the BJP’s finances, questioning the source of ₹150 crore used to construct the party’s state office, Kushabhau Thakre complex. He also alleged that the BJP acquired land in Raipur for its Ekatma Parisar office at a rate of ₹1 per square foot, which was later turned into a commercial complex generating ₹1.5 crore in rental income. "The ED must probe this as well," he demanded.
Additionally, Baij accused the BJP-led state government of using law enforcement to intimidate political opponents, including newly elected members of Zila Panchayat and Janpad Panchayat, in an attempt to manipulate local body elections. He further claimed that state police were spying on him, calling it a direct attack on democracy.
The Congress' protest is expected to escalate political tensions in Chhattisgarh as the party continues to push back against what it calls "misuse of central agencies" by the ruling BJP.