Give us level-playing field for polls, release arrested CMs, INDIA bloc’s demands to EC
NEW DELHI: In a show of strength and unity, the Opposition INDIA bloc’s “Save Democracy’’ rally at Ramlila Maidan here on Sunday witnessed a gathering of all major Opposition leaders who pressed for the release of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren.
The leaders expressed concern about the health of democracy in the country and accused the BJP of decimating the Opposition by Central investigative agencies. While expressing solidarity with Kejriwal and Soren, the leaders urged people to vote out the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls to “save democracy and the Constitution”.
Sharing the stage at Ramlila Maidan were Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party presidents Sonia and Rahul Gandhi; NCP’s Sharad Yadav, NC leader Farooq Abdullah, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray; Left leaders Sitaram Yechury, D Raja, Dipankar Bhattacharya; Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav; RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav and TMC’s Derek O’Brien.
Chief Minister Kejriwal’s wife Sunita Kejriwal and JMM leader Hemant Soren’s wife Kalpana Soren also addressed the gathering, castigating the Central government over the arrest of their husbands in corruption cases. Sunita Kejriwal read out a letter from her husband which she said he sent from the Enforcement Directorate’s custody. Congress’s Priyanka Gandhi Vadra listed five demands of the Opposition to the Election Commission that included the provision of a level playing field before next month’s Lok Sabha elections.Without mentioning the freezing of funds of the Congress party, she demanded an immediate halt to efforts aimed at scuttling the finances of the Opposition parties.
Action by the ED, CBI and the Income Tax Department should also be stopped, she said. The alliance also demanded a Supreme Court-monitored Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe what they called the BJP’s “extortion’’ of funds through the electoral bonds scheme. “If the BJP wins these fixed elections and changes the Constitution, the country will be on fire,’’ said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Kharge said that people have to decide if they want democracy or dictatorship, adding that those who support dictatorship should be shown the door. Thackeray alleged the country has become an “autocracy” under the Modi government, and appealed to the people to throw the BJP out of power.
“We are not here for an election campaign, we are here to save democracy... what kind of government is this, you make allegations and send people to jail,” he said.
AAP Delhi state convener Gopal Rai said the Ramlila Maidan is a historic place which has changed the country’s history several times.
“Whenever a crisis has arisen in the country, a voice of change has echoed from here,” he said.
Delhi Congress chief Arvinder Singh Lovely said the Lok Sabha elections will decide the future of coming generations and what kind of a democracy they live in.
Kalpana Soren said she was present at the rally as the voice of “50 per cent of the population of the country — the women — and the nine per cent tribal population.
“We, the tribals, have a long story of struggle and sacrifices. We are proud of our history. The crowd is evidence that the way autocratic forces are trying to attack democracy, this assembly has gathered against it,” she said.
“All the guarantees provided by Babasaheb’s Constitution are being destroyed by the NDA government. One by one they have demolished Constitutional institutions,” she charged. She appealed to people to use their votes “wisely”.
As Sunita Kejriwal read out the letter sent by Arvind Kejriwal, people in the gathering listened to her with rapt attention.
Punjab Chief Minister and senior AAP leader Bhagwant Mann declared that Arvind Kejriwal was not a man but an ideology. TMC MP Derek O’Brien declared that Trinamool “very much was, is and will be part of the INDIA alliance. This is a fight of BJP versus democracy.’’
The Opposition rally at Ramlila Maidan comes on a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the BJP campaign in Uttar Pradesh. However, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav appeared unruffled. He said:”You have sent elected chief ministers to jail. Not just the Indians but the whole world is criticising it.’’
