Government misusing institutions for political vendetta: Kanhaiya Kumar
Thane, Oct 3: Former JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar on Thursday alleged that the BJP-led government was misusing institutions like the ED, CBI and EC for political vendetta and to destroy its opponents.
Kumar was here to campaign for NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad, who has been renominated by the party from the Mumbra-Kalwa Assembly seat.
"The government institutions in the country, like the ED, CBI and EC should not be misused for settling political scores and destroying the political opponents, which were being done presently," he told reporters.
"The misuse of these institutions happening for political vendetta is not a question of election, but of the nation, democracy and the Constitution...It will have long- term repercussions," he added.
The institutions should remain independent as they have to function even as the governments come and go, Kumar said, adding, "If if a new government comes to power, it will adopt the same tactics with their opponents. This kind of political culture is not proper."
"If one joins the BJP after getting ED's notice, then he becomes a 'sadachari' (righteous) from 'bhrashtachari' (corrupt) person. How does this happen?" he asked.
It means there is a political pressure, making use of which the opposition in the country is being suppressed, and the people should come out of their houses and fight this, Kumar, who unsuccessfully contested the last Lok Sabha election as CPI's Begursarai candidate, said.
When asked to speak about Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said the generations to come will comment on him.
"I am not Rahul Gandhi, so that they can file a defamation suit against me. I will fight and prove that I am aware of history even if they try to bury it."
"Godse had assassinated Gandhi, which is a sin on their head. History will repeatedly ask them this question...let them fake it as much as they want in the name of 'Swachh Bharat', but Gandhi's bloodstains are splashed on their kurtas," he alleged.
"Those who are searching god in masjid are not actually searching for god, but they want to set up Nathuram's government in the name of Ram," he alleged.
"Just as the British adopted divide-and-rule policy, these people are adopting divert-and-rule tactics...If people are facing problems, the leaders should get down from the helicopter and solve their problems.
On a question why people were repeatedly electing the BJP, he said, "On the occasion of Gandhi jayanti yesterday, a picture of Gandhiji was projected on the Burj Khalifa. France issued a postal stamp on him. The Time magazine carried his photo on the cover page. But on Twitter, the maximum number of tweets were 'Godse amar rahe. Is it not shameful?"
"History will question us for this later. Whatever we do today, we have to face its consequences later on. This is because we fight elections on emotional issues. We can win elections, but perception is always perception, it never becomes a reality," he said.
Kumar said the people of Maharashtra, instead of asking whose son or grandson is contesting the election, should ask why their children were not getting jobs despite being educated.
"This place was once an industrial hub, but industries shut down. In Mumbai, mills disappeared and apartments took their place. The working-class culture is gradually disappearing. Farmers are suffering due to drought in Marathwada, while inSatara, Sangli and other floods wreaked havoc," he said.
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Man arrested with Rs 2.54-crore heroin in Mumbai
Mumbai (PTI): Police have arrested a man and seized over 500 grams of heroin worth Rs 2.54 crore in the illicit market from him in Mumbai, officials said on Friday.
The police's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) made the drug seizure in Santacruz in the western suburbs. The operation was conducted by the Kandivali unit of the ANC on Thursday as part of a special crackdown against drug trafficking in the area, they said.
Acting on specific inputs, an ANC team conducted a raid in Santacruz (East) and intercepted a man. During a search, the team recovered 508 grams of high-grade heroin from his possession, an official said.
The seized contraband, a highly addictive, opioid drug derived from morphine, is estimated to be worth Rs 2.54 crore in the international market, he informed.
Following the seizure, a case was registered against the man under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and he was formally placed under arrest in the early hours of Friday.
The police are currently investigating the source of the drug and trying to identify the intended recipients of the consignment, he said.
