Spokespersons: Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Shri Tariq Anwar and Shri Udit Raj: Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi said-As you know, we have taken press conferences on this issue, as you know that some very strange things are happening in the central government, in the BJP party and in the ED.

As far as the election in Chhattisgarh is concerned, it is self-evident to anybody who knows anything of the ground in Chhattisgarh that the BJP is hurtling towards the certain defeat. Therefore, they have now roped in their election department, their ally, coalition partner, the ED, to start something quite amazing.

An investigation started on a registered case by the Chhattisgarh government on March 2022, eighteen months ago. Leading to 499 arrests, hundreds of phones and laptops seized. Investigation conducted in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana etc, all handed over to the central government. Central government does nothing, they don’t ban the app till two days ago, they don’t arrest anybody. They tell people to do interview, sitting in Dubai against Mr. Bhupesh Baghel. They make an allegation that so much money, Rs. 538 crores have travelled across the borders from Dubai to India. Who manages the custom borders? Who has the R&AW in the IB, who has the border police and most important, during this time the allegation is, during election this money has moved? That’s also an insult to the Election Commission, apparently the allegation by the BJP suggests that under the nose of the Election Commission money is moving, how is Chhattisgarh responsible for it? Does the jurisdiction of the Chhattisgarh government go beyond the borders of India?

The Hon’ble Prime Minister is everyday giving a certificate of guilt, regarding Chhattisgarh in each and every of his speech. I think this is at the heart of the ‘Level-Playing Field’ issue. The level-playing field directly impinges on free and fair elections on democracy and therefore, violates the basic structure of the Constitution.

That is why, we have told the Election Commission, the mega constitutional policeman of this jurisdiction, to put an immediate stop to the activity of the election department of the BJP, the ED that they will enter wherever they want, they will go to any state they want, they will give any statement they want. We condemn this and we turn to the Election Commission (ECI) for immediate and prompt action. Wednesday, November 8, 2023