NEW DELHI: AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over ED raids against Punjab industries minister Sanjeev Arora on Saturday, alleging a misuse of the agency to scare his party leaders into joining the BJP.
Earlier in the day, the Enforcement Directorate conducted fresh searches against Arora and some others allegedly linked to him as part of an investigation into a newly registered money laundering case, officials said.
They said Arora's official residence in Chandigarh was among the five premises raided.
Kejriwal, addressing a press conference, said that though ED and CBI are supposed to work on money laundering and corruption cases, "under Modi rule, these are working to threaten, scare and break away opposition leaders and force them to join the BJP. The raid against Arora is an action in the same direction."
He said this was the second ED raid against Arora within one month, and wondered what it was the ED was looking for.
No immediate reaction was available from the BJP or the ED over Kejriwal's charges.
Earlier in the day, in a long Hindi post on X, Kejriwal said, "Modi ji has got daily ED raids started in Punjab soon after the Bengal polls concluded. Modi ji has coerced Punjab in the last few years and ill-treated Punjabis by different means."
He then likened Modi to Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.
Like Aurangzeb, Kejriwal said, "Modi ji has dishonestly occupied various parts of the country and now reached Punjab… Punjab, taking inspiration from the sacrifices of Sikh Gurus, will face Modi ji's torture and save the whole country from it."
The former Delhi chief minister alleged that attempts were made to dilute the water rights of Punjab and take away Panjab University. He alleged that funds for the state's rural development were also stopped.
Kejriwal said AAP Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Mittal joined the BJP after raids by the ED at his premises.
Arora was also raided, but did not join the BJP; so another raid has been conducted, he alleged.
Kejriwal said the prime minister, a few years ago, "challenged" Punjab's farmers and had to bow down.
"He has now challenged the whole of Punjab," he added