Key political figures condemn Kejriwal and Soren’s arrest, call for voter action to preserve democracy
INDIA bloc’s ‘Loktantra Bachao Rally’ at Ramleela Maidan in New Delhi. Pic/PTI
Top INDIA bloc leaders gathered at the Ramlila Maidan on Sunday to express solidarity with arrested Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren, and urged people to vote out the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls to “save democracy and the Constitution”.
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The leaders who were on the stage at the ‘Loktantra Bachao’ (save democracy) rally included Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former presidents Sonia and Rahul Gandhi; NCP’s Sharad Pawar, NC leader Farooq Abdullah, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray; Left leaders Sitaram Yechury, D Raja, Dipankar Bhattacharya; Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav; RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav and TMC’s Derek O’Brien.
CM Kejriwal’s wife Sunita Kejriwal and JMM leader Hemant Soren’s wife Kalpana Soren were also addressed the gathering, castigating the Central government over the arrest of their husbands in corruption cases. Sunita Kejriwal read out a letter from her husband which she said he sent from the ED custody.
Votes for Left-Cong means votes for BJP: Mamata
CM Mamata Banerjee accused its INDIA bloc partners CPI (M) and Congress of joining hands with the BJP in WB and asserted that the Opposition alliance has ceased to exist in the state. She urged people not to cast their votes in favour of the Left-Congress-ISF alliance as voting for them would mean voting for the BJP. “There is no INDIA alliance in WB. I had played a key role in the formation of the opposition bloc. Even its name was given by me. But, the CPI (M) and Congress are working for the BJP in the state,” she said.
RSS, BJP are like poison: Kharge
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday described the RSS-BJP combine as “poison” that has “destroyed” the country, and called on all opposition parties to unite to defeat the ruling party in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. This election is to save democracy, the country and the Constitution, he said at ‘Loktantra Bachao’ rally of the INDIA bloc leaders.
BJP being criticised across the world for arrest: Akhilesh
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav said the BJP is being criticised across the world for the arrest of Kejriwal, and accused the ruling party at the Centre over peddling lies. The BJP is also worried about losing power, Yadav, who arrived in the city for the INDIA Bloc rally at Ramlila ground, told reporters at the airport.
Can’t keep CM behind bars for long: Sunita
Tyranny won’t work and CM Arvind Kejriwal cannot be kept behind bars for long, said Sunita Kejriwal, reading out her husband’s message at the rally. In her maiden speech, Sunita also asked people whether Kejriwal should resign as Chief Minister. “The BJP is demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Kejriwal. Should he resign? Is his arrest justified? He is a ‘sher’ (lion). They won’t be able to keep him behind bars for long,” she said. Sunita thanked people for showering blessings on her husband.
Modi’s guarantee like Chinese goods: Tejashwi Yadav
In a scathing attack on PM Modi, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav claimed that his guarantee is like Chinese goods and is only meant for polls, as he urged people not to fall for the BJP’s propaganda. Yadav alleged that an undeclared emergency was prevailing in the country and asserted that the Opposition will not let the RSS agenda to be implemented. Yadav also sang lines from a Govinda-starrer movie with a play on the lyrics “tum toh dhokebaaz ho, vaada karke bhool jaate ho”, to allege PM didn’t fulfil his promises.
PM trying to do match-fixing in polls: Rahul
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of trying to do “match-fixing” in the Lok Sabha polls and asserted that if the BJP succeeds in its endeavours, the country’s Constitution will be changed and people’s rights taken away. Addressing the INDIA bloc’s ‘Save Democracy’ rally at the Ramlila Maidan here, the former Congress chief said this is not an ordinary election but one to save the country’s democracy and Constitution.
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