In a dramatic turn of events, the opposition parties have unleashed scathing criticism against the BJP-led Centre, accusing it of having "ulterior political motives" in extending the tenure of Enforcement Directorate (ED) chief, Sanjay Kumar Mishra, till September 15. The opposition leaders alleged that this move is aimed at targeting leaders of the INDIA bloc with fabricated cases in an attempt to weaken the alliance.
The controversy escalated further when the Supreme Court initially questioned the competence within the ED department, wondering if there were no other qualified candidates for the position. Despite this skepticism, the Centre's argument of "public and national interest," citing ongoing FATF peer review and concerns about neighboring countries pushing India into the "grey" list, swayed the court to grant the extension, though for a shorter duration than requested, as PTI reported.
Addressing the media outside Parliament, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Jha strongly denounced the extension, calling it illegal and expressing concerns over potential attempts to undermine the INDIA alliance through deceitful means. Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav echoed these sentiments, accusing the Centre of orchestrating a conspiracy to ensnare opposition leaders in false cases.
Even the Congress's deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha, Pramod Tiwari, raised questions about the short duration of the extension and its implications. He alleged that the BJP previously tried to destabilize governments in Bihar, West Bengal, and Jharkhand without success and is now resorting to using agencies like the ED to target opposition leaders.
Sushmita Dev from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) went a step further, stating that the ED has become a "weapon" employed by the BJP. She highlighted how the agency was used to target governments in Bihar, West Bengal, and Jharkhand, intending to weaken the INDIA alliance, which is a formidable force of 26 opposition parties unitedly taking on the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Adding to the drama, the Supreme Court had previously declared Mishra's back-to-back extensions as "illegal" and curtailed his tenure to July 31. The Centre's ordinance allowing up to three years of extension for ED and CBI chiefs after the mandated two-year term has also raised eyebrows and fueled accusations of political maneuvering.
