‘Fearful dictator, authoritarianism’: Oppose Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been arrested by investigating agencies in connection with a money laundering case.

New Delhi:

Multiple voters in the Indian bloc have condemned the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday and alleged that the BJP is afraid of the outcome of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls and is acting out of fear to create trouble for the opposition. trouble.

Soon after Mr Kejriwal was arrested by the Education Ministry in a money laundering case related to the GST policy, Congress president Malikajun Haq said the “arrogant” BJP was making false claims of victory every day and trying to pass Connivance to weaken the opposition. by “illegal means” ahead of the parliamentary elections.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi claimed that a “fearful dictator” wanted to create a lifeless democracy and said the Indian bloc would respond befittingly to such a design.

“A scared dictator wants to create a dead democracy,” he said in a Hindi post on X.

“While it is not enough for the ‘devil forces’ to seize all institutions including the media, divide political parties, extort money from companies and freeze the accounts of the main opposition parties, arresting elected chief ministers has now become commonplace as well.” Thing, “Mr. Gandhi said.

“India will give a befitting reply to this,” he added.

A frightened dictator wants to create a lifeless democracy.

Arresting all institutions including the media, dismantling political parties, extorting money from businesses and freezing the accounts of the main opposition parties were not enough for the “devil forces”, now the arrest of elected chief ministers has also become an issue. Common things.

India its…

—Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 21, 2024

Mr. Haq said the BJP, which falsely claims victory every day, is trying to weaken the opposition through all illegal means.

“Had there been genuine confidence of victory, the accounts of the main opposition Congress party would not have been frozen for abusing constitutional institutions and opposition leaders would not have been targeted before the election,” he said in a statement released. on X.

“The fact is that the BJP is already scared of the upcoming election results and panic is creating all kinds of problems for the opposition. It is time for change! This time… step down,” the Congress president said.

The arrogant Bharatiya Janata Party lied about victory every day and tried every means and illegal means to weaken the opposition before the election.

If there had been real confidence of victory, the accounts of the main opposition party, the Congress, would not have been frozen for abusing the constitutional machinery…

— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) March 21, 2024

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin posted on Arvind Kejriwal fell into the abyss of despicability following the targeting of brothers Hemant Soren.” “Not a single BJP leader has faced scrutiny or arrest, exposing their abuse of power and the rot of democracy. India The PPP government’s ruthless persecution of opposition leaders smacks of desperate witch hunt,” he added.

“This tyranny has fueled public outrage and exposed the true face of the BJP. But their futile arrests will only strengthen our resolve and strengthen the Indian Union’s march towards victory. Bharatiya Janata Party, prepare for the anger of the people ,” Mr. Stalin said.

before #Elections2024Fearing a decade of failure and imminent defeat, the fascist BJP government plunges into abyss of despicability by arresting Delhi chief minister @ArvindKejriwalfollowing the unjust attack by brother @HemantSorenJMM.

No BJP leader has faced…

— MKStalin (@mkstalin) March 21, 2024

NCP leader Sharad Pawar condemned “vindictive misuse of central agencies to target the opposition, especially as elections approach”.

“This arrest shows the extent to which the BJP will bend for power. ‘India’ is united against this unconstitutional action against Arvind Kejriwal,” he said.

Strongly condemns the vindictive and abusive behavior of central agencies against the opposition, especially as the general election approaches. The arrest shows the extent to which the BJP has bent for power. “India” stands united against this unconstitutional action #ArvindKejriwal

— Sharad Pawar (@PawarSpeaks) March 21, 2024

Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien questioned the timing of the arrest as it was around the time the Model Code of Conduct was introduced.

He claimed that every opposition party was being harassed as the voting process began.

“How can we expect fair elections in India if the current chief minister and prominent opposition leader are arrested weeks before the polls? If the SC and ECI don’t take action now, who will stand with the people against the BJP in the future? What about oppressive politics?” Mr O’Brien asked.

We strongly condemn the arrest of elected Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, especially when the Election Commission is in charge and the MCC is in place. Earlier, his executive powers were taken away by an illegal decree. How can we expect fair elections in India if the current chief minister and prominent opposition…

— Derek O’Brien | Derek O’Brien (@derekobrienmp) March 21, 2024

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said the Bharatiya Janata Party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were “panic” over their imminent popular rejection in the upcoming polls .

“This is the second sitting prime minister of the Indian bloc to be arrested. Clearly, Modi and the BJP are panicking about people being rejected in the ongoing elections,” he said.

Raja, the general secretary of the Communist Party of India, said that the desperation of the BJP ahead of the general election was fully reflected.

“They know that their claim of 400 seats is empty and that is why the opposition is being targeted for abuse of central agencies. The arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the then Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant ·Soren’s arrest shows how nervous the BJP is. This harassment is only aimed at intimidating the opposition,” Mr. Raja said in a post on X.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi said, “With the political arrest of another sitting chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, the BJP government and its extension units have made it clear that they are far from winning 400 seats” .

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said Mr Kejriwal’s arrest “will give birth to a new people’s revolution”.

“Those who themselves are incarcerated for fear of failure, what can they achieve by incarcerating others? The BJP knows it will not come to power again and because of this fear it wants to remove opposition leaders from the public by any means At election time, arrests are just an excuse,” he said in a post on X.

Those who themselves are imprisoned by fear of failure
What would “they” do by imprisoning others?

The BJP knows it will not come to power again and out of this fear it wants to remove opposition leaders from the public at election time by any means necessary, arrests being just a pretext.

This arrest signaled a new people’s revolution…

— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) March 21, 2024

Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti said Mr Kejriwal’s arrest reeked of political vendetta and growing authoritarianism.

“The ED’s arbitrary arrest of another chief minister is filled with political vendetta and growing authoritarianism,” she said in a post on X.

Ms Mufti added: “This cowardly behavior exposes concerns about the ruling party, which is now resorting to desperate measures to rig elections before they are even held. History shows that tyranny never fails in the face of unified resistance Won’t win. We won’t be intimidated.”

The chief executive’s arbitrary arrest of another chief minister is fraught with political vendettas and growing authoritarianism. This cowardly behavior exposes fears that the ruling party is now taking desperate measures to rig the election before it even takes place. History has proven that tyranny…

— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) March 21, 2024

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