Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Thursday condemned the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) move to conduct raids at the residence of Rajasthan Congress Chief Govind Singh Dotasara stating that the BJP’s “nervousness’ is clearly visible.

Taking to ‘X’, he wrote, “I strongly condemn the ED raid on Rajasthan Congress State President Govind Singh Dotasara. ED summons have also been given to Vaibhav Gehlot, son of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. BJP cannot scare Congress leaders with such tactics. All the leaders and workers of the state Congress are standing together in solidarity”.

“BJP’s nervousness is clearly visible in such actions because the public has made up its mind to bring the Congress government back in Rajasthan in the upcoming elections”, he added.

राजस्थान कांग्रेस के प्रदेशाध्यक्ष गोविंद सिंह डोटासरा जी के यहां ED की रेड की मैं कठोर शब्दों में निंदा करता हूँ। मुख्यमंत्री अशोक गहलोत जी के पुत्र वैभव गहलोत को भी ED का सम्मन दिया गया है।

भाजपा इस तरह के हथकंडों से कांग्रेस के नेताओं को डरा नहीं सकती। प्रदेश कांग्रेस के सभी…

— Sachin Pilot (@SachinPilot) October 26, 2023

Earlier in the day, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids at the residence of Rajasthan Congress Chief Govind Singh Dotasara in connection with the Senior Teacher 2nd Grade Competitive Examination, 2022 Paper Leak case.

The raids were carried out at the official residence of Dotasara at Civil Lines in Rajasthan’s Jaipur.

The Enforcement Directorate is also conducting search operations at nearly a dozen locations in Rajasthan in connection with the paper leak case.

Meanwhile, the central probe agency has also summoned Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s son and Congress leader, Vaibhav Gehlot in the paper leaks case.

Earlier this month, the ED conducted search operations at seven residential premises of Dinesh Khodania, Ashok Kumar Jain, Spurdha Chaudhary, Suresh Dhaka and other individuals in the paper leaks case.

The searches were carried out under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on Friday, officials said adding that various incriminating documents, copies of sale deeds of various properties, electronic devices and cash amounting to Rs 24 lakh were seized in the operation.

The ED’s move has triggered sharp reactions from Congress leaders who have dubbed the agency as an extension of the BJP.

Earlier in the day, Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claiming that as elections are around the corner, ED, CBI, and IT become the real “Panna Pramukh” of the BJP.

Taking to ‘X’, Mr Kharge wrote, “As elections are around the corner, ED, CBI, IT etc. become the real ‘Panna Pramukh’ of BJP. Seeing its certain defeat in Rajasthan, the Bharatiya Janata Party made its last move! After Chhattisgarh, ED has also started action against Congress leaders entering the assembly election campaign in Rajasthan”.

“The dictatorship of the Modi government is fatal for democracy. We will continue to fight against the misuse of agencies, the public will give a befitting reply to the BJP’, he added.

US President Joe Biden has hinted that one of the reasons behind Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel was the recent announcement of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor that integrates the entire region with a network of rail, road and ports.

“I’m convinced one of the reasons Hamas attacked when they did, and I have no proof of this, just my instinct tells me, is because of the progress we were making towards regional integration for Israel, and regional integration overall. We can’t leave that work behind,” Biden said.

The US President made the remarks during a joint press conference with Australian PM Anthony Albanese on Wednesday (US local time).

During the G20 Summit in New Delhi, India, USA, UAE, Saudi Arabia, France, Germany, Italy and the European Union signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor.

The corridor will encourage and provide impetus to economic development through enhanced connectivity and economic integration between Asia, West Asia, the Middle East and Europe, as per sources.

The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor will consist of two separate corridors, the East corridor connecting India to West Asia/Middle East and the Northern corridor connecting West Asia/Middle East to Europe.

It will include a rail line, which upon completion, will provide a reliable and cost-effective cross-border ship-to-rail transit network to supplement the existing multi-modal transport routes enhancing transhipment of goods and services between South East Asia through India to West Asia/Middle East Europe.

Biden recently lauded the corridor and said the project will spur opportunities for investment across two continents.

He said that the rail port project is part of an effort to build a more sustainable, integrated Middle East.

Meanwhile, the Israel-Hamas war has entered its 20th day.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that his goal against the Hamas war is “saving the nation” and promised that a ground incursion to destroy Hamas in Gaza will start soon, The Times of Israel reported on Wednesday.

He said Israel is getting ready for a ground operation, but will not share when or how. He says he will not share the range of considerations involved.

“We are preparing for a ground incursion. I won’t specify when, how, how many. I also won’t detail the range of considerations, most of which the public is not aware of. And that’s the way it is supposed to be. This is the way so that we protect our soldiers’ lives.”

In an address to the nation, PM Netanyahu said, “Israel is in the midst of a fight for our existence. The war’s two aims are “to eliminate Hamas by destroying its military and governance capabilities, and to do everything possible to get our hostages back.”

Mexican soldiers and rescue workers on Thursday scrambled to clear up the chaos and devastation wrought by Hurricane Otis in Acapulco as the government worked to bring relief to the battered southern beach resort.

Otis on Wednesday slammed into Acapulco in the state of Guerrero as one of the strongest hurricanes to ever hit Mexico’s Pacific coast, flooding streets, ripping roofs off homes and hotels, and severing communications, road and air access.

The number remains unclear: downed phone service and electricity lines have made it hard for officials to assess the extent of the damage, with no immediate reports of fatalities as of Wednesday evening.

Nearly 8,400 members of Mexico’s army, air force and national guard were deployed in and near Acapulco to assist in cleanup efforts, the defense ministry said.

Classes were canceled for students across the state for a second day, and Governor Evelyn Salgado said on social media that authorities were working to restore electricity and reactivate drinking water pumps in Acapulco.

“The full extent of the wind, storm surge and rainfall damage in Guerrero will emerge over the coming days,” Moody’s Risk Management Solutions said in a note.

Mexico’s state power utility CFE had over 1,300 employees working to restore power, it said on Wednesday evening, when some 300,000 people remained without electricity.

The main highway connecting Acapulco with Mexico City was expected to be fully open by midday, Deputy Transportation Minister Rogelio Jimenez Pons told reporters, noting the impact of mudslides.

The port city’s international airport was closed, after Otis wrecked the control tower, cut telecommunications, and left access roads blocked.

“Now a Category 5 hurricane in Acapulco takes us by surprise,” Jimenez Pons said. “It’s unprecedented.”