New Delhi: Ruling party’s decision to send CBI Director Alok Verma on administrative leave without authority to do so, has created controversy, however, opposition party Congress claims the move was a “panic reaction” by PM Narendra Modi.
Congress Chief Gandhi said this sudden move by Modiji was to hide the facts and truth of Rafael Deal and if CBI had begun an inquiry into the deal then PM knew he would be finished.
Rahul added that the move to remove Verma and appoint M Nageshwar Rao as CBI Interim Director was “illegal” and “criminal”. He will lead the party to protest outside the CBI’s headquarters today, Indian Express reports.
Without naming Rao, he said, “The charge has been given to an individual who has cases against him…so that the Prime Minister can control him. The PM has made a corrupt officer in charge (of CBI) so that an inquiry into Rafale does not take place.”
“Tomorrow, outside CBI offices nationwide, the Congress party will protest the PM’s disgraceful attempt to prevent an investigation into the Rafale scam, by removing the CBI Chief. I will lead the protests outside CBI HQ in Delhi, at 11 AM,” he had tweeted yesterday.
He also added that the decision to divest Verma of all his powers and sending him on administrative leave is an “insult to the Constitution….the Chief Justice of India, the Leader of Opposition and to the Indian people.
It is illegal and criminal…because the CBI Director can be appointed and removed only by the selection committee comprising the Prime Minister, Chief Justice and the Leader of the Opposition.”
“The main reason for this is that the CBI was going to begin an investigation into the role of the Prime Minister… and the corruption that was carried out by the Prime Minister in Rafale… It (Rafale) is an open and shut case. The moment an inquiry starts in CBI, the Prime Minister is finished. He is an experienced person. It was suicide for the Prime Minister to allow an inquiry in CBI… And to prevent suicide, he committed a murder. But he has not been murdered. Because there is a battle to reinstate him (Verma),” he said.