New Delhi: In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel has said that the ongoing tax raids in the state using central forces are an affront to cooperative federalism.

According to a report in The Hindu, Baghel also said that it was an "intriguing coincidence" that the raids took place around the same time that the Baghel government decided to initiate investigations in allegations of corruption against BJP leader and the former chief minister of Chhattisgarh Raman Singh.

Baghel also said that as per reports the Income Tax department had since February 27 undertaken at least 25 raids in a “clandestine manner” across the state.

Last week, the Income Tax department raided close to 25 premises linked to Chhattisgarh government officials and others, including family members of a senior IAS officer in the state, on charges of tax evasion

“May I respectfully point out that the actions of Finance/Home Ministries of the Government of India are nothing short of an affront to the idea of cooperative federalism that you have often spoken about,” Baghel said in his letter to the prime minister.

Baghel also wrote that the recent actions by central agencies not only reflected "coercive and insecure centrism" but also political vendettas that threatened the "core of our democracy".

Also read: IT, ED Conduct Raids on Unprecedented Scale on Bhupesh Baghel's Entire 'Coterie'

"The central government's deployment of a central force to assist in motivated income tax raids undermines every word of Dr Ambedkar's caveat and the constitution scheme laid out in List II of the seventh schedule of the constitution," he said.

"As a former chief minister, you would agree that Law and Order is a state subject and central forces cannot be deployed in a state without consent and prior intimation to the state government,” Baghel wrote.

He also questioned the “unconstitutional” use of the CRPF, which is to be used only for “emergencies”, during the raids. Baghel further added that the state government had never refused any assistance to the Income Tex Department and reiterated the availability of the police machinery for cases of corruption. "I am certain you will support my government’s endeavour expose corruption bereft of any ideology. This would be in tune with your good self’s assertions,” he wrote.

Baghel also pointed out, in the letter, that failure to adhere to the "cardinal principle of our constitutional democracy" would make the country an "undemocratic anarchy".

A statement from the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) claimed the raids by the Income Tax department in Raipur had uncovered large amounts of "unaccounted cash" which was being paid to public servants every month.

Total unaccounted transactions amounting to Rs 150 crore were found in the raids along with the "details of benami vehicles, hawala transfers, transfer to Kolkata-based companies and creation of shell companies with huge land bank".

Also read: Chhattisgarh Believes the NIA Act Is Unconstitutional. Here's Why

In a recent press conference, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala slammed the Union government and claimed that the central force was being used for "political vendetta" like other investigative agencies.

Surjewala held that the Centre was "scared" after the Baghel government had launched a probe into allegations of corruptions against the previous BJP government and that the "cloak-and-dagger" IT raids and "fly-by-night midnight operations" were being undertaken to destabilise the investigations against the Raman Singh government.

The Congress leader then went on to say that the Chhattisgarh government would take this as a "sign of encouragement" that their investigations were proceeding in the right direction.

The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.