The Aryavarth Express
Agency(Jharkhand): In a move that has stirred controversy, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids on the premises linked to Congress MLA Amba Prasad in Jharkhand, raising allegations of political targeting ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Nirmala Devi, the mother of Prasad and a former MLA herself, claimed that these actions were intended to demoralize her daughter and influence the electoral process. These raids come amidst a broader investigation into money laundering allegations involving Prasad and her associates.
On a day marked by these unexpected searches, Devi, found outside her Hazaribag home, expressed her detachment from politics and her ignorance of the raids until informed by journalists. She reminisced about advising her daughter against political involvement, highlighting the challenges faced by those in the public sphere.
Prasad, maintaining a presence at her residence in Ranchi, symbolically responded to the situation and media attention with gestures of defiance and resilience. This event has sparked a wave of criticism from within the Congress, with figures like Alamgir Alam and Bandhu Tirkey accusing the ruling BJP of selectively targeting opposition members to disrupt their campaign efforts. They argue that such tactics are indicative of a broader strategy to intimidate and harass political rivals as the election season commences.
These raids are reportedly based on a series of FIRs concerning alleged illicit activities, including sand mining and extortion, which are being investigated under the strictures of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). This development has fueled an intense debate about the role of enforcement agencies in political affairs and the fairness of their actions in the heated atmosphere leading up to national polls.
