I.N.D.I.A. Bloc Knocks ECI's Doors Against 'Illegal Deployment Of Central Agencies By BJP To Stifle Opposition'

Presenting a memorandum to the EC, the I.N.D.I.A leaders listed recent instances of central agencies targeting opposition groups, citing a lack of a level playing field.

I.N.D.I.A bloc leaders meets ECI over Kejriwal's arrest

Source : PTI

New Delhi:  Following the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate, leaders from the I.N.D.I.A bloc parties approached the Election Commission of India, alleging 'unrelenting, blatant, and illegal' deployment of Central Agencies by the ruling BJP to stifle the opposition parties. Presenting a memorandum to the EC, the I.N.D.I.A leaders listed recent instances of central agencies targeting opposition groups, citing a lack of a level playing field. They urged the Election Commission to ensure fairness by replacing the heads of probe agencies during elections.

Speaking to the media following the meeting, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, "We pointed out this is not a normal complaint, it is a larger issue of effecting, impairing, undermining, and sabotaging the basic structure of the Indian constitution." He emphasised that ensuring a level playing field is essential for upholding the principles of free and fair elections, which, in turn, are fundamental to the very essence of democracy. Singhvi referenced Supreme Court rulings that have consistently upheld democracy as an integral part of the basic structure of the Indian Constitution, reported news agency PTI.

He pointed out the blatant use and misuse of agencies to achieve these ends, citing instances where cases dating back two decades were revived to target opposition figures. He further questioned the timing of such actions, suggesting that if there were legitimate grounds for action, they could have been deferred until after the elections.

He said, "In 75 years of India's history, no party of whatever colour, including BJP, ever thought of arresting a sitting chief minister. Every party of this political structure standing here has been harassed, raided, and arrested, why? All virtues are in this pocket, all the vices on this side? Or are you blind?"

"We told them (EC) that you have constitutional power, if you can appoint heads of police, change home secretaries, why can't you control appointments to ED, CBI, and the IT during at least the period of the MCC", Singhvi added. 

All I.N.D.I.A Leaders Supported The Memorandum

Apart from Abhishek Manu Singhvi, the delegation to the Election Commission comprised KC Venugopal, Derek O'Brien, and Nadimul Haque from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), Sitaram Yechury, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)], AAP leaders Sandeep Pathak and Pankaj, Jitendra Awhad representing the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Shiv Sena-Congress-NCP Alliance, P Wilson from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), and SP's Javed Ali.

Despite the absence of representatives from the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), and the Shiv Sena (UBT), the opposition leaders said all parties supported the memorandum. Singhvi revealed that the delegation was hastily assembled late the previous night in response to Kejriwal's arrest, with some members receiving information as late as 11-12 at night. Despite the short notice, efforts were made by several leaders to attend the meeting.

He specifically mentioned Derek O'Brien, who was not in Delhi but made the effort to fly in for the meeting. While a few representatives could not attend, they extended full political backing to the delegation's efforts, as per PTI.

This was TMC's first appearance with the I.N.D.I.A bloc parties since the seat-sharing talks in West Bengal with Congress failed, and it announced going solo in polls. During the meeting, opposition leaders presented a list of ten incidents involving cases and raids against opposition figures by central agencies since January. These instances ranged from the CBI filing an FIR against TMC's Mahua Moitra to raids and arrests of leaders associated with the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), which is not part of the I.N.D.I.A bloc. Additionally, the list included raids targeting former Bihar CM Lalu Yadav's aide, the arrest of Hemant Soren, and the freezing of Congress's accounts, among other incidents.

Ruling Regime Is Abusing Its Power: Opposition

The letter state , "Therefore there emerges a clear, deliberate and sinister pattern, where the ruling regime is abusing its power, and completely destroying any semblance of a level playing field for other political parties contesting the Lok Sabha elections. Never before has such high-handedness ever been witnessed", the Opposition said in the memorandum.

"It is our submission that free and fair elections are not possible in an atmosphere of threats, intimidation, and extortion (as seen from the electoral bonds issue being adjudicated before the Supreme Court)", it added.

"The Hon'ble Commission must act and take drastic steps to halt this brazen misuse of the official machinery, it read. This electoral process will have lost all sanctity if the Hon'ble Commission is unable to ensure a level playing field", they said in the letter.

Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday night in an excise policy-linked money laundering case in Delhi.