Oppn steps up attack on CBI-ED ordinances

New Delhi: Opposition parties on Monday vowed to  counter the government’s  move of extending the  tenures to the CBI and ED  chiefs in Parliament, alleging it was bypassing the  House, distorting the Constitution and resorting to  Ordinance Raj to “misuse”  the agencies.

Introducing the ordinances just two weeks  ahead of the Parliament  session is an attempt at  sabotaging and skirting  the institution of Parliament, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi  alleged.

The opposition parties  also accused the government of trying to bypass  the Supreme Court’s direction that any extension of  tenure has to be for a short  period and only in rare and  exceptional circumstances  to facilitate an ongoing investigation.

Trinamool Congress MP  Derek O’ Brien said the opposition parties will do all  it takes to stop India from  “turning into an elected  autocracy .

The party has given two  notices in Rajya Sabha for  statutory resolutions opposing the two ordinances  promulgated on Sunday  which state that after the  fixed two-year term of an  Enforcement Directorate  (ED) or Central Bureau of  Investigation (CBI) chief  ends, the Union government may extend the tenure by a year for three consecutive years.

The BJP government  was sidestepping Parliament and violating the Supreme Court’s orders only  to “misuse” the investigative agencies for protecting  itself and its friends while  targeting the opposition,  Singhvi alleged at a press  conference.

Union minister Mukhtar  Abbas Naqvi, however, hit  back at the Congress for  its criticism, saying those  who do such “negative and  destructive politics” only  harm themselves.

The Left parties demanded that the ordinances be  rescinded immediately.

The Politbureau of the  CPI(M) denounces the  promulgation of two ordinances allowing the central government to extend  the tenures of the directors  of CBI and ED from two to  five years.

It is reprehensible that  these ordinances have  been promulgated on the  eve of the winter session of  parliament that is to commence from November 29.  The BJP’s regular resort  to the route of ordinance  raj is anti-democratic, the  CPIM said on Monday.

The party further alleged that both the CBI and  ED have been functioning  as the political arm of the  ruling party to advance its  agenda.

Leaders of opposition parties are regularly targeted. This step is meant to  further subvert the autonomy of these agencies and to  make the key officers more  pliable.

The Polit Bureau of the  CPI(M) demands that these  ordinances be rescinded. CPI(M) MPs will oppose  the move to convert these  ordinances into law in parliament, it said in a statement.

The CPI too said that it  was contemplating moving statutory resolutions  against the ordinances.

On a polluted Sunday, the  government has embarked  on ordinance route to protect their caged parrots.  Disapproval motion will  be moved in Parliament  against this ordinance raj. Distorting constitution  Modi is in a hurry to make  India a banana republic,”  CPI MP B Viswam tweeted. -(PTI)