Mamata condemns Kejriwal’s arrest by ED, speaks to his wife

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo and Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday condemned Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) terming it “a blatant assault on democracy”. Banerjee spoke to Kejriwal’s wife and expressed solidarity.

Banerjee said that elected opposition chief ministers are targeted deliberately. In a post on X, Banerjee said: “I vehemently condemn the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal, the sitting elected Chief Minister of Delhi elected by the people. I have personally reached out to Smt Sunita Kejriwal to extend my unwavering support and solidarity. It’s outrageous that while elected opposition CMs are being deliberately targeted and arrested while individuals accused under CBI/ED investigations are allowed to continue their malpractices with impunity, especially after aligning with the BJP. This is a blatant assault on democracy.”

She also posted on X: “Today, our INDIA alliance will meet the EC to express our strong objection to the deliberate targeting and arrests of opposition leaders, particularly during the MCC period. To this end, I have designated @derekobrienmp and @MdNadimulHaque6 to represent @AITCofficial in this crucial meeting with the Election Commission.”

Meanwhile, INDIA bloc leaders met the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday and demanded its intervention Hassan (Karnataka): An anin the “targeting of opposition leaders” by the ruling BJP through the “misuse of Central agencies”. The representation to the ECI was made by Congress general secretary K C Venugopal, Abhishek Singhvi, NCP (SCP) leader Jitendra Awhad, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury, TMC MP Derek O’Brien and several other leaders.

After meeting the Election Commission, Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi said that a level playing field is needed for elections but the ruling party is not allowing that. The letter submitted to the poll body by the INDIA bloc on Friday said “arrests, of individuals holding Constitutional posts are clearly intended to have a stifling and deleterious effect on the democratic functioning of the affairs of their respective states, as well as the parties themselves”.

Banerjee maintains cordial relationship with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal. She took initiatives to include AAP in the INDIA alliance. Arvind Kejriwal had earlier arrived in Kolkata along with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and met Banerjee before the INDIA bloc meeting. When Kejriwal was summoned by central investigating agencies, Banerjee had called it “BJP’s political vendetta” against the Opposition.

Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on charges of money laundering and corruption in the 2021-22 Delhi Excise policy case. Earlier, the Delhi High Court had refused to grant relief to Kejriwal against any “coercive action” by the agency. Trinamool raised the question on the timing of his arrest after the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) went into effect with the election poll schedule announcement on March 16.