Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 23 (ANI): Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday stated that he had been a victim of the raids conducted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), accusing the probe agency of being a 'weapon' of the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Addressing a press conference, Raut spoke on the Supreme Court rapping ED over the TASMAC raids in Tamil Nadu.

'What is new here? I am a victim too (of ED). I have been through that, there are several others like me...ED is a weapon of BJP, of PM Modi, of HM Amit Shah. As long as there is ED, there is Modi-Shah and BJP...' Raut said.

Speaking on Rahul Gandhi's question to the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Raut said that there was nothing wrong, asserting that that people of the country believed that Pakistan could not be trusted.

'What is wrong with the question Rahul Gandhi has asked? Every citizen of the country has this question in their mind. It is not just the BJP's supporters who have this question. The 1.4 billion people of the country will always believe this: that you cannot trust Pakistan. That is the first point. The second point is, what benefit do we have from Trump? Trump has only harmed us. Our ongoing efforts were focused on fighting terrorism; it was not about grabbing land like Israel,' Raut said.

He further stated that Rahul Gandhi's question was the same that the people have in their minds.

'To eliminate terrorism, we started a fight with Pakistan, but Trump stopped it. Trump caused harm to us. If Rahul Gandhi has asked this question, then it is the question in the minds of the people. The third question he asked is also true. Our blood boils; our veins carry the blood of patriotism. When the sindoor (vermilion) of 26 women was wiped out, our blood boils,' he further added.

Raut also questioned the language the government used and the revenge taken by the country against Pakistan.

'I have seen that Pakistan's Prime Minister has said that they have taken revenge for the defeat of 1971. This is the kind of language they are using. What kind of revenge have you taken? What courage does it take to use such language? In 1971, when Pakistan had to accept defeat during Indira Gandhi's time, their language was not like this. In 1965, under the leadership of Lal Bahadur Shastri, we made Pakistan bite the dust, yet their language was not like this then. But during Prime Minister Modi's tenure, Sharif is saying that they have taken revenge for 1971. The government should be ashamed,' Raut said. (ANI)