‘CBI, ED should be shut… where is the need for them? Will propose it to INDIA parties’: Akhilesh Yadav

Departments like the Enforcement Directorate and CBI are not needed and should be shut down, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has said, adding that he would propose the same to the INDIA bloc.

“CBI aur ED band hone chahiye (The CBI and ED should be shut)… If you have cheated, there is the Income Tax department to deal with it. Why do you need the CBI? Every state has an Anti-Corruption Department, use it if needed,” Akhilesh said in an interview to The Indian Express, adding that the agencies are being used only against political adversaries of the BJP.

“They are usedagar sarkar banaani hai, ya giraani hai (to form governments, or break governments),” Akhilesh said, asking why hadn’t the agencies, for example, investigated “what went wrong during demonetisation”. “How did people convert their black money into white?”

But would an INDIA government be ready to take such a far-reaching step if it came to power? “This is my proposal and I will put this before the INDIA alliance,” Akhilesh said.

Speaking toThe Indian Express while travelling from Lucknow to Amethi and Rae Bareli, the two constituencies with the highest stakes for the Congress, the SP chief said the alliance between the two parties will continue even after the Lok Sabha elections are over, irrespective of the results.

“Alliancechalega, chalayenge (will continue, we will ensure it continues). And it will be there for whichever election comes… But for the moment, our effort is to form the (national) government,” Akhilesh said.

The SP chief campaigned for the Congress in the two seats in the final run-up, with Rahul Gandhi the party candidate from Rae Bareli.

Asked if the partnership would survive another poor performance by the Congress, such as a repeat of 2019’s