'INDIA Will Give Befitting Reply': Opposition Leaders Slam Kejriwal’s Arrest

"A scared dictator wants to create a dead democracy," tweeted Rahul Gandhi, in support of the Delhi CM.

INDIA bloc leaders react to Kejriwal's arrest. 

(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)

Anchor: Varsha Sriram

Video Editor: Kriti Saxena

INDIA bloc leaders unitedly condemned the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on 21 March in connection with the Delhi Liquor Policy case.

According to the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) Saurab Bharadwaj, a delegation of Delhi Congress leaders and the All India Congress Committee were reaching his residence.

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has staged a protest against the arrest of the Delhi CM.

'INDIA Bloc Will Give Befitting Reply': Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi posted on X(formerly Twitter), "A scared dictator wants to create a dead democracy."

Calling the government a "devilish power," he added that the INDIA bloc would give a befitting reply to such decisions.

'Unconstitutional and Wrong': Priyanka Gandhi

Congress' Priyanka Gandhi Vadra called the arrest "unconstitutional and wrong." She posted on X that "this kind of politics" was not suited to the Prime Minister or the government, and that critics should be fought by criticising its policies and working style. She said that the arrest "weakened" the country's democracy.

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor called the arrest "a systematic effort is on to subvert Indian democracy during our general elections."

He urged the Supreme Court of India to take suo moto of "this betrayal of the democratic principles embedded in the basic structure of the Constitution."

Further, Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar told news agency PTI, “There was no hurry to arrest a sitting Chief Minister. It is unfortunate for a democratic set up."

Additionally, Congress leader Karti Chidambaram spoke against the arrest and called it "absolute fascism." Commenting on the recent arrest of Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren too, he mentioned that two sitting CMs have been arrested before the general elections.

'Relentless Persecution Of Opposition Leaders,' Says Stalin

Commenting on the arrest, Tamil Nadu CM wrote on X that the "fascist BJP" has sunk to despicable depths.

He also stated that such decisions only "fuelled INDIA alliance's resolve to victory", and how no BJP leaders ever faced "scrutiny or arrest" and such moves "unmask" the government's true colours.

Tamil Nadu CM has posted images of a protest against the "egregious assault on democracy," in response to Kejriwal's arrest last night.

'Oppressive Politics,' Assert TMC Leaders

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has posted on her X account to "vehemently condemn" the arrest.

She wrote, "Today, our INDIA alliance will meet the Election Commission to express our strong objection to the deliberate targeting and arrests of opposition leaders, particularly during the Moral Code of Conduct (MCC) period."

Member of Parliament Derek O'Brien asked how "fair elections" can be expected if sitting CMs and prominent opposition leaders were arrested "weeks before [the] polls."

O'Brien also questioned that if the Supreme Court and the Election Commission of India did not act now, then who would stand against the BJP's "oppressive politics."

Another TMC MP Saket Gokhale asked whether the EC examined the grounds for arrest of a sitting CM weeks before Lok Sabha elections. He added that with the code of conduct in force, the EC has "superintendence over all government machinery."

The TMC's newly elected member of parliament Sagarika Ghose also called it a "vindictive misuse of central agencies."

'Second Sitting CM of INDIA Bloc Arrested': Sitaram Yechury

Communist Party of India (Marxist)'s Sitaram Yechury argued that this would "only cement people’s desire to defeat BJP, defend Indian democracy and constitution."

He also pointed out how opposition leaders who joined the BJP and are now "protected and patronised."

'Outright Vicious', Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan termed Kejriwal's arrest as "vicious".

"The arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is outright vicious and part of a callous plot to silence all opposition voices just ahead of the general elections. This exposes the cowardice of those who fear democratic process and calls for collective action to resist abuse of power," he posted on X.

He also addressed the media saying that, “This has come at a time when the process for the general elections has commenced. To jail all those who speak up is in no way acceptable."

“The cowardice of those who are scared of democratic norms have now come out through this act, which is extremely condemnable and warrants protests,” he added.

'Politically Motivated Arrest, 'Vindictive Misue of Central Agencies': NCP

The Nationalist Congress Party Chief Sharad Pawar has "strongly condemned the vindictive misuse of central agencies to target the opposition."

With the general elections around, Pawar commented that the arrest showed the depth to which the "BJP will stoop for power."

NCP's Baramati MP Supriya Sule has called the arrest at the "behest of the BJP government" to shut down the opposition.

She added that the INDIA bloc is "resilient and united" in the fight for "constitutional democracy."

'Sabotaging Democracy' says Lalu Prasad Yadav

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav said that Arvind Kejriwal's arrest has been made in the fear of defeat.

'Undeclared Emergency by NDA', Tejashwi Yadav

Tejashwi Yadav stated that Delhi CM's arrest showed that the BJP wanted to fight elections "under the cover and strong help of investigative agencies and other constitutional institutions."

Yadav extended his support to Delhi's government and commented that the INDIA bloc will "fight and win."

'Fear of Losing Power,' Priyanka Chaturvedi 

Shiv Sena UBT's Priyanka Chaturvedi commented that BJP and its leaders, "upset today after seeing the unity of the opposition."

She added that this comes due to their fear of losing power that "illegal action" has been taken against the opposition parties.

Chaturvedi also said that "taking Arvind Kejriwal into ED custody proves government's fear."

'Fear of Defeat' says Akhilesh Yadav 

Akhilesh Yadav wrote on his X account that "those who are themselves imprisoned in the fear of defeat What will they do by imprisoning someone else?"

He added that the BJP "knows" that it will not come to power again and hence, it is removing the opposition, closer to the elections.

Yadav expressed "This arrest will give birth to a new people's revolution."