ED raids in J’khand a day before polls to help BJP, alleges JMM

Ranchi, Nov 12 (PTI) The ruling JMM slammed the BJP-led Centre for ED raids at several parts in Jharkhand on Tuesday, a day before the first phase of assembly polls, alleging that the central agency's action was an attempt to "help the saffron camp establish its Bangladeshi infiltration narrative".

During the day, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided multiple locations in poll-bound Jharkhand, apart from West Bengal, in a money laundering investigation linked to alleged infiltration of Bangladeshis.

The ED action, just a day before polling in Jharkhand, is nothing but an attempt to set a wrong narrative and mislead people. It is an attempt to help the BJP establish its Bangladeshi infiltration narrative in the elections. But the BJP will not be successful in its mission and get a befitting reply in the elections," JMM spokesperson Manoj Pandey told PTI.

Forty-three assembly seats, out of 81 in Jharkhand, will go to polls in the first phase on Wednesday. Infiltration from Bangladesh into the state has been a major poll plank for the BJP.

The Congress, an ally of the JMM-led government, also made a similar allegation. "This ED raids are not for Bangladeshi infiltrators but a last attempt to save BJP's political ground in the state," Congress spokesperson Rakesh Sinha said.

The people of the state understood all "these tactics and would give a befitting reply to the BJP", he claimed.

The Congress leader said that Jharkhand does not share a border with Bangladesh.

"BJP-ruled Assam shares border with Bangladesh. So I think they should first conduct a raid in Assam instead of Jharkhand," the Congress spokesperson said.

He alleged that Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was sent to Jharkhand by the BJP to "polarise votes" but the "saffron camp would not be successful".

Sarma, as the co-in charge for the BJP for the Jharkhand polls, has been campaigning for saffron camp candidates.

Talking to media persons, Sarma said the raid proved that a gang is active in Jharkhand that brings infiltrators here, helps them get government identification documents and makes them Indian citizens.

“(Chief Minister) Hemant Soren himself had said that it was the Centre’s responsibility to drive out infiltrators from Jharkhand. If the Centre has taken action today, it should be welcomed,” he said. PTI SAN BDC SAN NN