Broad daylight murder of democracy, brazen use of CBI vendetta: Congress on Chidambaram's arrest

The Congress on Thursday slammed the Narendra Modi government for political vendetta and using the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate to target former Union Minister P Chidambaram. Addressing media in New Delhi, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said that the whole drama was an attempt to divert attention to more pressing issues. "Sinking economy, job losses, devaluation of rupee, we now see depths to which desperate BJP govt will stoop," Surjewala said. "False charges" being heaped up on senior political rivals to "silence" everyone in country, Surjewala added. He further said that a seasoned politician has been arrested on statement of woman charged with murder of her own daughter. Surjewala alleged that the Modi government is using the CBI, the ED as "personal revenge-seeking depts" for party in power as also those ruling country."India witnessed broad daylight murder of democracy as also rule of law in last two days," Surjewala added.

On Wednesday, high-voltage drama unfolded after Chidambaram, who reportedly went incommunicado soon after Delhi High Court’s rejected his plea seeking interim protection from the arrest by the CBI and the ED, appeared before the media at Congress headquarters. Addressing the media, the former finance minister said that if he has to choose between the liberty and the life, he will always choose liberty.

"I was aghast that I was accused of hiding from the law. On the contrary, I was engaged in pursuit of justice," Chidambaram said at a press conference. "Now I shall walk with a clear conscience and head held high. In the name of freedom, I can only hope and pray that investigative agencies will respect the law," he added.

Soon after his dramatic appearance, a team of CBI rushed to the Congress headquarters in Delhi to arrest him but by the time they reached, he left for his residence. However, teams of CBI and ED followed the Congress leader to his residence and finally arrested him.