Latest political tools, such as ED, CBI and IT Dept etc., are liberally used to target political opponents. Recent addition in the list is Income...

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin strongly condemned the increasing deployment of central enforcement agencies against political opponents, characterizing the Income Tax Department's survey on the British Broadcasting Corporation as a blatant escalation of political intimidation. Stalin pointed out that premier federal apparatuses, including the Enforcement Directorate, the Central Bureau of Investigation, and the Income Tax Department, have been routinely converted into political instruments.

The Chief Minister observed that using regulatory inspections against an international media network following its critical reporting exposes deep administrative intolerance of dissenting perspectives. Instead of preserving statutory neutrality and focusing on legitimate financial crimes, central agencies are systematically directed toward opposition political leaders, regional governments, and critical journalists. Stalin argued that such coercive practices undermine India's global reputation as an open, rule-of-law democracy.

Stalin stressed that independent statutory institutions must remain insulated from partisan executive control to maintain public trust. By continually harassing critical organizations through targeted audits and raids, the Union government risks destroying public faith in institutional integrity. He called upon democratic leaders across India to challenge the weaponization of federal watchdogs, reaffirming that protecting institutional independence is essential for constitutional democracy.