Thane: Accusing prime minister Narendra Modi of trying to 'finish off' democracy in India, Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said that if the BJP-led NDA is elected to power for the third time they would start arresting leaders of opposition parties in fake cases.
Kejriwal also accused the BJP of splitting Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray and NCP headed by Sharad Pawar.
“Mark my words…my political predictions are true…if these people are voted again, they would arrest (NCP (SP) supremo) Sharad Pawar and Supriya Sule…they would arrest (Shiv Sena (UBT) head) Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aaditya Thackeray,” he said.
Kejriwal pointed out how the central agencies have arrested leaders and ministers of Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee's government, and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president and Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin's government too.
“See how Russian president Vladimir Putin put opponents in jail or killed them and then conducted the elections,” he said, adding that similar situations are being seen in Bangladesh and Pakistan.
“In Bangladesh, the opposition boycotted the polls (and Sheikh Hasina won the elections)…In Pakistan, (former prime minister) Imran Khan won the polls. At one point of time, Bangladesh and Pakistan used to look at us…now Modi is taking a cue from them,” he said addressing an I.N.D.I.A. opposition bloc election rally in Bhiwandi in Thane district.
Kejriwal reiterated that Modi is not seeking a vote for him but for Amit Shah, the current Home Minister. “The BJP has made the retirement at 75 rule when Modi came to power…as Modi is going to turn 75 for whom he is seeking votes?…its Amit Shah," he said.
"Next year on 17 September (2025) Modi would turn 75...he had made the rule and hence he had to retire...remember, he is seeking votes to make Shah the prime minister," he added.
“Now the only challenge is Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath who will be removed within two months time…when I said this no one from BJP clarified or came to his support…it means it's happening,” he said.
Kejriwal said that the bank accounts of Congress were freezed and they are trying to do the same with AAP.