I.N.D.I.A. bloc rallies behind Kejriwal

The Opposition parties said BJP is scared of the Lok Sabha elections and the move to arrest the Delhi CM will backfire on them.

New Delhi: The Opposition I.N.D.I.A. bloc rallied behind Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested him saying that it showed he BJP is scared of the Lok Sabha elections and will cement people's desire to defeat the ruling regime.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the "arrogant" BJP that makes "false claims of victory every day" is "trying to weaken the opposition by all illegal means" before the Lok Sabha elections.

"If their confidence was real, then the accounts of the main opposition party -- Congress -- would not have been frozen…Leaders of opposition parties are not targeted right before the elections. The truth is that BJP is already scared of the upcoming election results and in panic is creating all kinds of problems for the opposition," he said.

CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said Kejriwal is the second sitting Chief Minister of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc to be arrested after Hemant Soren. 

"Clearly, Modi and the BJP are in panic over people’s rejection in the ongoing elections. All opposition leaders who defected and joined the BJP are protected and patronised. They are the ‘Satya Harishchandras’! These arrests will only cement people’s desire to defeat BJP, defend democracy and Indian Constitution," he said.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said the BJP is "driven by fear of a decade of failures and the imminent defeat" and the "fascist" Modi government "sinks to despicable depths" by arresting Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, following the "unjust targeting of brother Hemant Soren.” The “relentless persecution" of Opposition leaders "smacks of a desperate witch-hunt”, he said.

NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) chief Sharad Pawar said Kejriwal's arrest showcases the depth to which the BJP will "stoop for power". "I.N.D.I.A. stands united against this unconstitutional action against Arvind Kejriwal," he said.

CPI General Secretary D Raja said, "BJP’s desperation before elections is on full display. They know the hollowness of their claims of 400 seats and that’s why opposition is being targeted by abusing central agencies. The arrest of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and the arrest of then Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren show how jittery the BJP is. This harassment is only intended to intimidate the opposition. People will give a befitting answer to this in elections by throwing BJP out of power."

Trinamool Congress wondered what will be the fate of democracy if opposition leaders and elected chief ministers are arrested before elections with its Rajya Sabha floor leader Derek O'Brien saying that if the Supreme Court and Election Commission of India fail to act now, who else will stand with people against BJP's oppressive politics in future.

"The election process has begun. And now this! Chiefs of political parties, CMs, political leaders, election agents, workers, every opponent- being harassed & arrested like this. What will be the fate of our precious democracy," he posted on X.

"How can we expect fair elections in India if sitting CMs and prominent opposition leaders are arrested weeks before polls? If SC and ECI fail to act now, who will stand with people against BJP's oppressive politics in future?" he said.

JMM central committee spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharyya said that the election notification should be cancelled as "it is the end of democracy in India and there is no need for elections now. No opposition will be allowed in the country and days are not far off when the headquarters of all opposition parties would be surrounded by central forces."

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi called Kejriwal's arrest as "murder of democracy". 

"With the political arrest of another sitting CM, Arvind Kejriwal, the BJP government, its Extended Department have made it clear that they aren't anywhere close to winning 400 seats. They are scared of the opposition, they know the only way to win is to either silence or arrest the opposition. It would be right to call this Murder of Democracy in India , not, India as the Mother of Democracy," she posted on 'X.'