They have a lot to hide: Jaitley rebukes West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh govt over CBI withdrawal

A day after Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal withdrew the "general consent" accorded to the CBI to conduct raids and carry out probe in the state, Finance minister Arun Jaitley rebuked the two governments saying scams cannot be wiped off by such a decision.

At the launch of the party mainifesto for the upcoming assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, the finance minister targetted the two governments saying that only those who have a lot to hide will take steps to keep the CBI out of the state.

He further added that the CBI was created initially for employees of the Central government and then to investigate very serious cases referred to it either by states or on court orders. 

Targetting the West Bengal government Jaitley referred to the Sarada ponzi scam and the Narada sting operation which involved cash bribes and senior Trinamool Congress leaders.

In Andhra Pradesh, the minister said the decision to keep the CBI away was not motivated by any particular case but by the fear of "what is likely to happen". "It is only those who have a lot to hide will take step of saying let CBI not come to my state," he said. 

Responding to the withdrawal, BJP spokesperson G V L Narasimha Rao said leaders of the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal and the Gandhi family of the Congress were facing probe in "corruption" cases. He further added that the steps taken by the two governments was to ensure that its "corruption" was not exposed.

The Congress, on the other hand, had cited the Andhra Pradesh government's decision to claims that states do not have faith in the CBI and other central agencies due to their "misuse" by the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.

(With inputs from agencies)