Cong must unite all opp parties in fight against misuse of central agencies: RJD leader Shivanand Tiwary

The main opposition party in Bihar — Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) — on Tuesday urged the Congress to take the initiative in uniting all opposition parties in its fight against what he termed as ''misuse'' of the central probe agencies by the BJP-led Central government to target opposition leaders.

In a statement issued here on Tuesday, RJD national vice president Shivanand Tiwary, a key aide of party Supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, said, "As Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was being questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the National Herald case on Monday, his party protested across the country alleging that the Centre was targeting the Opposition by misusing agencies. Several senior Congress leaders, including a Chief Minister, were also detained by security personnel during the protest march". He alleged that besides Congress, the NDA government is using agencies to target other opposition parties and their leaders as part of its agenda of ''political vendetta''.

"The Congress must come forward and take the initiative in uniting all opposition parties in its fight against misuse of the central investigative agencies by the central government. The Opposition's voice is being stifled and the central government is acting in a cowardly manner and misusing investigative agencies", claimed Tiwary. Earlier, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee had also appealed for a united fight against the BJP's alleged misuse of central investigating agencies. In a letter sent to chief ministers from non-BJP parties on March 27, Banerjee claimed that the BJP misuses central agencies with "the sole intent of suppressing opposition leaders", adding that BJP ruled states "get a free pass from these agencies to paint a rosy picture of their hollow governance". She had accused the BJP of leading a "political witch hunt".

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