Amidst the ongoing Lok Sabha poll campaigning, the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) actions have attracted scrutiny from unexpected quarters. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is fraught with concern over the influx of opposition figures into the BJP, fearing ED action against them.
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, who was in Mumbai recently, said that a change in the attitude or political affiliations of people should not happen because of police or ED raids, but should happen from the heart and with a conscience.
He was speaking at the 101st anniversary event of Lokmanya Seva Sangh, a Mumbai-based organisation set up to build a “socially vigilant, disciplined, cultured and progressive society.”
“Organisations should pick various subjects to ensure social transformation. I have listed a few of them. A change in demeanour can also happen because of police standing (in the street) or to avoid ED (Enforcement Directorate) raid. We don’t want that. It (change in behaviour) should be from the mind,” Bhagwat said.
However, the BJP leadership believes that leaders from the opposition are joining the BJP because of PM Narendra Modi’s visionary leadership. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis recently said, “Many leaders in the country have arrived at an opinion of joining the BJP as the country is progressing under the leadership of the Prime Minister.”
Hoping for a breather
In Maharashtra, the Eknath Shinde faction of Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP echo Fadnavis’ statements about Modi’s leadership. Ajit Pawar emphasised that there is no other leader of PM Modi’s stature. Eight months ago, Pawar defected from Sharad Pawar’s NCP to join hands with the BJP along with Praful Patel and other leaders. Now, the CBI has filed a closure report in the Air India-Indian Airlines merger case, bringing relief to Patel.
The order comes as a major relief to Ajit Pawar faction leaders, including Pawar himself, Chhagan Bhujbal, Hassan Mushrif, Nawab Malik and others who are facing ED and other inquiries. Also, Eknath Shinde faction leaders, including MP Bhawana Gavali, Pratap Sarnaik, Yashwant Jadhav and others facing probes, are hoping for a breather.
Harshwardhan Patil, a former Congress leader now with the BJP, famously remarked that he could now enjoy “sound sleep” as there were no inquiries against him after joining the party. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar has criticised the ED, accusing it of being a tool to terrorise and silence political opponents.