GUWAHATI, March 17 - Condemning the raid by the Election Commission Expenditure Observer and Income Tax Department at the residence of senior Congress leader and Assam Agriculture Minister Rakibul Hussain last night, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today said that the raid was politically motivated and done at the behest of the BJP government at the Centre to defame the Congress ahead of the Assembly polls.
�It is clear that the raid was not conducted as per norms; rather it was a pre-planned one aimed at targeting and humiliating the Congress leader for defaming the party. Moreover, the raiding authorities could not find anything objectionable in his house. Every individual has dignity and a reputation and this cannot be undermined,� Gogoi said at a press conference.
Stating that the timing of the raid and the failure to adhere to norms made it clear that it was politically motivated, Gogoi said that the objective was to gain political mileage by the Congress� main rival.
Later, talking to newsmen, Hussain said that the raid raised several disturbing questions that needed a thorough probe by a competent authority. He said that the search warrant was issued in his wife � a housewife�s � name, who had nothing to with politics or election.
�First it was the EC�s expenditure observer who came for the raid and then the Income Tax personnel were used as an afterthought. The vehicle used by the EC personnel had a stolen car�s number plate. This is very disturbing because such methods are used for illegal activities, as was done during the infamous secret killings,� he said.
Hussain added that the developments amounted to terrorising political rivals by those behind it. �But the Congress men are never cowed down by such terrorising tactics and the people will give a fitting reply during the polls.
He said that his dignity had been violated by the developments and that he would seek legal action over it.
