New Delhi. In view of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public meetings in West Bengal and Odisha, the Congress on Wednesday questioned him on some issues related to these two states and asked whether the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case against Suvendu Adhikari was washed away in the BJP’s ‘washing machine’.
Party general secretary Jairam Ramesh, citing a statement by BJP leader Sambit Patra, also asked whether Prime Minister Modi considers Lord Jagannath as his devotee? He posted on ‘X’, “Why did the Prime Minister stop the state’s Rs 7,000 crore fund for not putting up sign boards and flex with his pictures at ration shops in Bengal? Did the CBI case against Shubhendu Adhikari get washed away in the BJP’s ‘washing machine’? Does the Prime Minister give more priority to his publicity than vaccines for children?”
Ramesh said, “In April 2017, the CBI registered an FIR against then Trinamool Congress MP Shubhendu Adhikari in connection with the Narada scam. In April 2019, the CBI sought permission from the Lok Sabha Speaker to prosecute him. In December 2020, he joined the BJP, and the CBI did not get the approval of the Lok Sabha Speaker after that. Similarly, Trinamool leader Tapas Roy was raided by the ED (Enforcement Directorate) in January this year in a money laundering case and by March he too joined the BJP.”
He asked, “Will the Prime Minister say anything on why the action of CBI and ED against these leaders has been stopped? How can the BJP pretend to eradicate corruption when their ‘washing machine’ is clearly in full swing in West Bengal?” Ramesh questioned the Prime Minister about Odisha, “Why has nothing changed even after the terrible train accident in Balasore? Does the outgoing Prime Minister consider Lord Jagannath as his devotee? Will the Amarda airstrip ever be revived? What are the BJP-BJD doing to deal with the heat and water crisis in Mayurbhanj?”
We will formulate import and export policy after talks with farmers’ organizations: Congress
Congress said on Wednesday that if the ‘India’ alliance government is formed at the center, a policy related to export and import of agricultural produce will be made only after talks with farmers and their organizations. Party general secretary Jairam Ramesh also claimed that Indian farmers have suffered a lot due to the unexpected import-export policy of the Modi government.
He released a video and said, “We need to ban imports and encourage exports. The ban imposed on rice exports is not in the interest of the farmers of Punjab. This has benefited the farmers of Pakistan.” Ramesh said that the Congress party has guaranteed that it will make a strong law regarding the import and export of agricultural products. He said that the import-export policy will be made only after talking to farmers and farmer organizations.