ED, CBI weaponised, no cases against BJP: Rahul Gandhi in Berlin

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi

Launching a fresh attack against the BJP, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the party of “capturing” the country’s institutional framework, terming it an “attack” on the democratic system.

Speaking at the Hertie School in Berlin last week, the leader of opposition in Lok Sabha alleged that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) were being used by the BJP to target political opponents.

"There is a wholesale capture of our institutional framework. Our intelligence agencies, ED and CBI, have been weaponised. ED and CBI have zero cases against the BJP, and most of the political cases are against the people who oppose them,” he claimed.

“If you are a large businessman and try to support the Congress, you are threatened. BJP uses the institutional framework of India as a tool to build political power. Look at the difference between money the BJP has and the Opposition has," he added.

He added that Congress will create a "system of resistance" against the capture of institutions.

"There is an attack on the democratic system. As the opposition, we have to find ways to counter this. We will create a system of opposition resistance that will succeed. We are not fighting the BJP, but their capture of the Indian institutional structure," the Congress leader said.

Stating that PM Modi continues to be supported by a number of people in the country, the Congress leader said, “A lot of us do not agree with his ideology and the vision of India that he has. We think the vision will fail and it has tremendous problems. It will create massive tensions in India and make Indian people fight with each other. We will fight it. It is a clash between two visions in India.”

The Congress leader also alleged that the BJP is pushing for the “elimination of the Constitution,” which guarantees equal rights to all, and pledged to build a united opposition movement to oust the party from power.

"What the BJP is proposing essentially is the elimination of the Constitution. Elimination of the idea of equality between states, elimination of the idea of equality between languages and religions, elimination of the idea of the central core of the Constitution, which is that every individual will have the same value," he said.

The Congress leader was on a tour of Germany last week.

Reacting to Rahul Gandhi's remarks, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla told CNN-News18: "Rahul Gandhi has indulged in Bharat badnaami on foreign soil. There’s nothing new in this. Rahul Gandhi should now rename LoP position, not as leader of opposition but as leader of propaganda. Because going on foreign soil, meeting with anti-India elements and elements associated with George Soros, who wants to destabilise India, has become his full time job."