BJP using ED, CBI on rivals, says BRS leader Kavitha

BJP accuses Ms. Kavitha of being obstructionist; plans press conferences in nine States to respond to Opposition allegations that law enforcement agencies being used for political intimidation

It is the BJP’s modus operandi to unleash Central enforcement and investigating agencies against its political rivals in poll-bound States, Bharat Rashtra Samithi MLC K. Kavitha said on Thursday. She lashed out at the ruling party ahead of her scheduled questioning by the Enforcement Directorate in the capital on Saturday, in connection with the Delhi liquor scam case.

However, the BJP accused the Telangana Chief Minister’s daughter of being “obstructionist” and asked her to cooperate with law enforcement agencies. Its response was also directed at the political leaders from nine States who have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleging that enforcement agencies were being used for political purposes, in order to intimidate the Opposition.

Ms. Kavitha will appear for questioning at the ED’s headquarters in the capital at 11 a.m. on Saturday, after the agency acceded to her request to delay her appearance by a day. Though the ED had served a notice on Ms. Kavitha on Wednesday morning to appear for questioning on Thursday, she said that she was already scheduled to lead a Bharat Jagruthi hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in the capital on Friday to demand enactment of the Women’s Reservation Bill. She left Hyderabad for Delhi on Wednesday evening, and the ED responded to her request on Thursday morning.

In Hyderabad, her father and Telangana CM K. Chandrasekhar Rao presided over a Cabinet meeting where the road map in case of Ms. Kavitha’s arrest was dscussed, according to sources. Mr. Rao has convened another meeting of the BRS’ Parliamentary and legislature parties as well as its State executive on Thursday for wider discussions on the issue. He also instructed the two women members of his Cabinet, his party’s MLAs and the BRS’ lone woman MP to participate in Ms. Kavitha’s dharna on Friday.

Ms. Kavitha’s brother K.T. Rama Rao, who is the BRS’ working president and Telangana Industries Minister, also vented his spleen on the Centre for targeting his sister.

In Delhi, Ms. Kavitha held a press conference where she reiterated that she was a law-abiding citizen and would cooperate with the investigation, unlike some BJP leaders named in the MLAs poaching case who kept avoiding the probe by obtaining court stays.

“The ED appears to be in a hurry as the agency has not given me an opportunity, a fundamental right of a woman, to examine me in the case at my residence. I have initially appealed for appearing before it on March 16 after attending my prior commitments but the authorities refused. They have asked to appear on March 11 after I mentioned about a protest programme planned for March 10,” she said.