EXCLUSIVE: Opposition using courts to curtail ED’s work, says Modi

CHENNAI: From denying allegations of using central agencies like I-T, ED and CBI to justifying the idea behind introducing Electoral Bonds, Prime Minister and Centre-ruling National Democratic Alliance’s biggest electoral and political mascot Narendra Modi presented a spirited defence of the regime he has been heading for the past 10 years during an exclusive interview with the Thanthi TV.

In his first-ever television interview ahead of the Lok Sabha election, Modi said the NDA was not eyeing the anti-DMK votes in Tamil Nadu, which has always been with the AIADMK. Instead, he added, a vote for BJP and its allies was a positive vote to endorse the work that the Centre has done for the women, farmers, youth.

Asked if the party was upset that the AIADMK was not part of the alliance anymore, he responded in the negative. Recalling his association with his “good friend” late party supremo J Jayalalithaa, who attended his swearing-in ceremony in 2002 when many had blamed his regime for the Gujarat riots, Modi said if anyone has any regrets, it should be the AIADMK. “It is the sinners who are ruining Amma’s dreams who should feel upset. We have no reason to feel so,” he said.

To a question on the allegation that his government was abusing central agencies like CBI and the Enforcement Directorate to target opposition leaders, he said, “Did we create ED? Did we bring the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA)? No. What work does the ED do? It is an independent organisation, working independently. We do not curtail it. It will be assessed by the scale of law by the courts. We have nothing to do with it. Now, the ED has around 7,000 cases. Among them, cases related to politicians are less than 3 per cent,” he said.

Denying the charge that the ED was targeting only opposition parties – and sparing BJP leaders – he said there were more than 150 cases filed in the court seeking repeal of PMLA. “They are using the court as a weapon to prevent the ED from working. Because they know that Modi’s fight against corruption will not stop. So they think they can block these agencies through the courts,” he alleged.