NCP-SCP chief Sharad Pawar stressed the need to release power from the clutch of one person as he addressed a rally in Maharashtra's Baramati as he launched yet another scathing attack on PM Modi invoking the arrests of Hemant Soren and Arvind Kejriwal. During his speech, he recalled his tenure as the Union agriculture minister and said at that time he helped "then Gujarat CM Narendra Modi without any partiality". However, he lamented, "But today the same person is making personal comments against me."
He said, speaking on the latest arrests of top leaders, "Today, if someone comments against the PM, then action is taken against them. Jharkhand CM spoke against the PM, and he was sent to jail. Arvind Kejriwal who made a statement against the PM has also been sent to jail. This is not democracy, it is a dictatorship. Today, the power has been centralised in the hands of Modi, we need to release it from him."
This is not the first time the veteran politician flayed the Centre over the arrests. He had earlier said the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal in the now scrapped excise policy matter would prove beneficial for the Aam Aadmi Party in the Lok Sabha polls as he expressed apprehensions about more such action in the future.
“The abuse of the ED and CBI and other agencies is going on by freezing (bank) accounts to stop the campaign of a big political party (Congress) in the country. The ex-CM of Jharkhand was also arrested and jailed… All this is wrong and I condemn it,” Pawar told reporters last week.
Extending support to Kejriwal, he said, "By putting a good man in jail, democracy is being strangled, and it is hundred per cent clear that the action is being taken in view of the elections, and such things are unprecedented in the country".
Once again in today's rally, Pawar reiterated his sentiments on democracy and actions taken ahead of the polls.
"Same action was taken in Jharkhand, now Delhi and tomorrow it will happen across the country, even raising doubts over how fair the LS elections will be," he said earlier.
Pawar predicted that the AAP would benefit for the arrest and said “This time, they will get hundred per cent seats” as 80-89 per cent of the Delhi electorate admires the AAP leader.
Other Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders, including Congress’ Nana Patole, Atul Londhe, Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Sanjay Raut, NCP (SP)’s Jitendra Awhad, Clyde Crasto also criticised the Centre on Kejriwal's arrest, alleging the crackdown on the opposition by probe agencies.