THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Former Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday accused the Congress of taking a “narrow-minded” stand on Enforcement Directorate actions against opposition leaders, alleging that the party raises objections only when its own leaders come under scrutiny.Responding to reporters during a press conference over the recent ED searches at his residences, Vijayan said that ever since the BJP came to power at the Centre, it has been adopting a tough stance towards parties opposed to it.“As part of that, it uses the ED in a biased manner against many opposition parties and their leaders. However, the Congress objects to it only when action is taken against its own leaders,” the Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly contended.On why Chief Minister V D Satheesan was silent on the issue, Vijayan said that was a question that should be put to the Kerala CM.Vijayan claimed that during the case involving former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, Congress leaders repeatedly questioned why no action was being taken against him, and later celebrated after a case was registered.The Marxist veteran said that following the ED searches at his residences, former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin and Kejriwal also criticisedthe ED’s actions, while criticising the Congress’s stand.“But, despite seeing all this, there is no change in the Congress’s stand, which is unfortunate. We all need to be united against such moves by the BJP, but the Congress leadership is adopting a narrow-minded stand regarding it,” Vijayan contended.Regarding the ED action, Vijayan said that the agency has closed one account of his daughter, Veena T, and that he was not questioned, though he was present when the search was carried out.Commenting on the violent attack against ED officials following the searches at his rented residence in the state capital, Vijayan said that CPI(M) leaders had taken steps to ensure the protests remained peaceful, and that everyone could see this.The ED searches were reportedly linked to financial dealings between Vijayan’s daughter’s firm and a sand mining company.A total of 10 premises in Kerala, including Vijayan’s rented residence at Bakery Junction and his ancestral home in Kannur, were searched by the ED on Wednesday as part of its investigation into the CMRL money laundering case involving his daughter.(Withe PTI inputs)
