New Delhi: Reacting sharply to the resignation of Jharkhand Chief Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader Hemant Soren, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said that forcing Hemant Soren to resign is a blow to Federalism.
In a post on 'X', Mallikarjun Kharge said, "One who will not go with PM Modi will go to jail. Imposing ED against Jharkhand Chief Minister, Hemant Soren and forcing him to resign is a blow to Federalism. Intimidating opposition leaders by making the provisions of PMLA draconian is part of the BJP's tool kit."
He further said that the BJP's work of destabilising the opposition governments one by one as part of a conspiracy was continuing.
"Whoever went into the BJP's washing machine is clean as white; who didn't go was tainted. If democracy has to be saved from dictatorship, then the BJP will have to be defeated. We will not be afraid, Will continue to fight from Parliament to the streets," he added.
Meanwhile, reacting to the same, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said that the aim of the BJP government was an opposition-free parliament, a democracy-free India, a question-free media, and a harmony-free public.
"Opposition-free parliament, democracy-free India, question-free media and harmony-free public, this is the aim of the BJP government. Governments are being toppled one by one in all the states," she said in a post on X, adding, "Opposition leaders are being harassed. Whoever does not join BJP will go to jail. Harassing Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren ji by imposing ED and forcing him to resign is a part of this malicious campaign."
She further said that the BJP has this illusion that it can crush the voice of 140 crore people. The public will answer for every atrocities, she added.
Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav also sharply reacted to the ED's move: "Bihar, Chandigarh and now Jharkhand! BJP has ruined democracy and federalism in a single week. It is not hidden from anyone what the central government is doing by destroying the impartiality of the investigating agencies due to the fear of electoral defeat and by making the agencies cells of the BJP," he said.
He further went on to say that the public will break the arrogance of the BJP. RJD is standing with Hemant Soren, he asserted.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren resigned on Wednesday evening after over six hours of questioning by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in connection with a money laundering probe linked to the alleged land scam case.
Champai Soren, the state transport minister and a loyalist of Hemant Soren, will step into his role as the Chief Minister.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)