Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], February 23 (ANI): Shiv Sena (Uddhav faction) leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre and said that the government is choking the opposition.

On Wednesday, in a money laundering case connected to the suspected coal levy scam in the state of Chhattisgarh, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted a raid on three department offices.

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While talking to the mediapersons, Raut said, "They wanted to make big news, so they arrested Pawan Khera. Also, 24 hours before the Congress session in Chhattisgarh, CM's close aides and Cong leaders were raided by ED and CBI. They're choking the opposition parties. This is an emergency only."

On Thursday Raut praised poet-lyricist Javed Akhtar and said that President Droupadi Murmu and PM Narendra Modi should felicitate him.

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Akhtar slammed Pakistan for the 26/11 terror attacks at the Faiz Festival in Lahore.

Raut said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister, Defence Minister, RSS chief, and President should felicitate Javed Akhtar for taking this bold step. Akhtar has shown his patriotism and everyone should support him."

"Our party greets Javed Akhtar with open hearts and appreciates his courage for speaking against Pakistan in Pakistan itself. Bharatiya Janata Party, Prime Minister Modi, and Home Minister Amit Shah say 'Hum Ghus kar marenge' (It's our principle to hit enemies inside their territory) that is good and we should do that but this time Javed Akhtar sahab has hit the enemies inside their territory," Raut said.

Earlier a video of the poet-lyricist went viral on social media where he is purportedly heard speaking about "bitterness" in the hearts of Indians over the 26/11 attacks. (ANI)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)