Jaipur, Apr 16 (PTI) Congress leaders and workers in Rajasthan staged a massive protest outside the Enforcement Directorate office here against its action in the National Herald case, accusing the BJP-led Centre of misusing agencies to target the opposition as part of a “politically motivated” campaign.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a chargesheet against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and others in the National Herald case, accusing them of allegedly laundering Rs 988 crore.

While the Congress has termed the ED action against the Gandhis “vendetta politics” the seizure of assets in the case a “state-sponsored crime masquerading as the rule of law”, the BJP pointed out that the proceedings in the case began with the order of the court.

The Congress demonstration in Jaipur, as part of the party’s nationwide stir against the filing of the chargesheet, was led by its Rajasthan unit chief Govind Singh Dotasra. Senior Congress leaders, including former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, Leader of Opposition in Assembly Tikaram Jully, MLAs and a large number of workers from across the state took part in the protest.

“This is not an investigation. This is intimidation,” Dotasra told reporters at the protest site. “The ED is being weaponised by the Centre to harass opposition leaders and divert public attention from real issues like unemployment and inflation.” Former chief minister Gehlot said the “repeated targeting” of opposition leaders through central probe agencies is dangerous for democracy.

“The Constitution and the democratic institutions of this country are under attack. The misuse of ED, CBI and Income Tax departments has reached an unprecedented level,” he alleged.

“This is a political conspiracy. If opposition voices are silenced like this, how will democracy survive? Today it is the Congress, tomorrow it could be anyone who dares to speak against the government,” he added.

Jully also criticised the Centre’s approach, calling it “vindictive and dictatorial”. He said the Congress would continue to raise its voice against the arbitrary use of power and the “systematic undermining” of constitutional values.

Congress workers raised slogans against the ED and the Central government. They held up placards with slogans such as “stop political harassment” and “save democracy” written on them.

The party also reiterated its demand for a fair and transparent judicial process and called upon the judiciary to take note of what it described as blatant misuse of institutions for political gain.

Congress leaders said similar protests will be held in other parts of the country in the coming days as part of a nationwide campaign to “defend” democracy and constitutional values. PTI AG NSD NSD