New Delhi:

Following the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Bloc India on Friday submitted a memorandum to the Election Commission of India, urging it to intervene as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party “targets opposition leaders through “misuse of central agencies” “the behavior of.

Congress general secretary KC Venugopal, Abhishek Singhvi, NCP (SCP) leader Jitendra Awhad, CPI (M) leader Sitaram Yechury, Trinamool Congress MP Derek O Brien and several other leaders represented the ECI.

The India Group in its memorandum urged the poll body to ensure that any further raids, investigations and arrests are first reviewed and approved by the commission or its sub-committees.

It also urged the electoral commission to take immediate action, including launching investigations into all individuals and officials who abused their power to harass opposition leaders.

“Take any other necessary measures to ensure a level playing field under the constitution and prevent ruling parties from abusing state machinery against leaders and parties contesting in a democratic system,” the memorandum submitted to the poll body reads.

The memorandum further pointed out the recent actions taken by central agencies against NCP (SCP) leader Rohit Pawar, TMC leaders Shankar Adhya, Sujit Bose, Tapas Roy, former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren, AAP leader ND Gupta, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Action Yadav, TMC leader Mahua Moitra. It also mentioned the income tax department freezing Congress bank accounts.

India’s memorandum letter to the poll body claimed that “the arrest of individuals holding constitutional offices is clearly intended to have a stifling and deleterious effect on the democratic functioning of their respective national affairs as well as on the political parties themselves”.

The letter further reads: “This is a move deliberately designed to de-motivate and demoralize members of these political parties and the opposition at large. One of those arrested is the national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party , the other being Jharkhand Working President Mukti Morcha are among the elected leaders of our country who support the cause of marginalized people in society, including our brothers and sisters from tribal communities.”

“The aim of their arrests is to send a direct message to the electorate. The ruling regime will not support anyone who is truly opposed to its electoral ambitions,” it added.

The letter accused the BJP of freezing the Congress party’s bank accounts ahead of the polls, stating that these “malicious and egregious acts of freezing bank accounts and subsequent forceful recovery were aimed at prejudicing the conduct of unfettered elections by the main opposition party” in the Lok Sabha sports”.

“People across the country have witnessed the ruthless, blatant and illegal deployment of central agencies by the ruling party to target, suffocate and intimidate the opposition parties,” the statement added.

A Rouse Avenue court on Friday sent Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to the custody of the education department till March 28. The agency has sought a 10-day remand.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday arrested Kejriwal in connection with the alleged Delhi liquor scam. The AAP president was produced before the court of Special Judge Kaveri Baweja.

Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi said after meeting the Election Commission that elections require a level playing field, but the ruling party does not allow this, which has an impact on free and fair elections.

“Almost all opposition parties are here. This incident (arrest of Delhi chief minister) happened late at night. We had a detailed discussion with the Election Commission. This is not about an individual or any political party but about the basic structure of the Election Commission.” constitution. When elections require a level playing field, if you don’t allow abusive institutions to level the playing field, it affects free and fair elections and ultimately democracy,” he said.

Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest comes days after the education ministry arrested K Kavitha, daughter of Bharat Rashta Samithi (BRS) leader and former Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, in connection with a probe into money laundering charges related to the now-defunct GST policy.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)