Kejriwal's arrest to divert attention from electoral bonds 'scam': Kerala CM Vijayan

Kannur: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has stated that the electoral bonds 'scam' constitutes the most significant corruption ever witnessed in India. He also alleged that the BJP government at the Centre arrested Arvind Kejriwal to divert attention from this issue.

During the third consecutive rally organised by the CPI(M) against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) in Kannur on Sunday, Vijayan accused the BJP-led Central government and the Sangh Parivar of disregarding the rule of law in the country.

He claimed that the Sangh Parivar is attempting to gain control of Constitutional institutions and is even threatening the country's judiciary.

Vijayan asserted, "The Union government, BJP, Sangh Parivar, they all very well know that the Supreme Court order on the electoral bond scam was harmful to them. They wanted to divert attention from this topic and for that, they have arrested Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal."

The chief minister recalled that when the concept of electoral bonds was introduced, the CPI(M) opposed it as a tool for corruption and challenged it in the Supreme Court.

"The electoral bonds scam is the biggest corruption ever witnessed in India. How did they get the courage to engage in such blatant corruption? They (BJP) thought they would never be questioned," he added.

Vijayan remarked that by arresting Kejriwal, the Sangh Parivar is attempting to convey that they are above the law and will pursue their agenda at any cost.

Referring to the anti-CAA protests of 2019 and the ensuing violence in Delhi, the chief minister mentioned the provocative slogans of Union Minister Anurag Thakur and highlighted that it was the CPI(M) that filed a case against him.

Vijayan also criticised the Congress for its stance on the CAA, alleging that while the entire country protested against the Act, Congress MPs were attending a feast hosted by the party president.

He noted, "During the protests, none of the Congress leaders were present. Rahul Gandhi was abroad. It was the Left leaders who were arrested by the Delhi Police. At that time we had only one MP, A M Arif from Alappuzha who spoke against the CAA. Now, the Congress leaders are saying that they had opposed the Act technically."

The chief minister accused the Sangh Parivar of perpetrating violence against anti-CAA protesters in Delhi, with tacit approval from the BJP government at the Centre.

"Around 53 people were killed, many went missing, over hundreds were injured in the riots. The houses, shops, establishments of numerous Muslims were attacked in the violence orchestrated by the Sangh Parivar," he stated.

Vijayan asserted that the CAA is an RSS agenda being implemented by the BJP government.

The Left party is organising massive anti-CAA rallies at five places in the state. The first rally was held in Kozhikode on March 22. A rally was held in Kasaragod district on Saturday. Two more rallies will be held in the coming days in Malappuram and Kollam.

The CAA was passed in December 2019 and subsequently received the President's assent, triggering protests in several parts of the country, with many opposition parties condemning it as "discriminatory".

The CAA aims to expedite citizenship for undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan who arrived in India before December 31, 2014.