A day after crucial leaders of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc took part in a mega rally organised by the Aam Aadmi Party against the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Kerala Chief Minister, and CPI (M) leader Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday criticised the Congress and accused it of raising allegations and demanding the probe by the Enforcement Directorate into the Delhi Liquor Policy case.
The Kerala CM said that the grand old party should learn a lesson from the situation of Arvind Kejriwal and understand that its priority should be the issues of the country. He also said that the Congress was the first to file a complaint against the Delhi CM.
Addressing a press conference amidst his Lok Sabha poll campaign, seeking votes for LDF candidates, Vijayan said that the huge participation of people in the I.N.D.I.A. bloc rally held in the national capital was a strong warning for the Bharatiya Janata Party. He, however, further stated that the Congress should also learn a lesson from the rally.
Referring to the stand taken by the Congress in the Delhi liquor excise policy case, he said the grand old party should introspect on their stand when it comes to attacking non-Congress parties across the country. "It was the Congress which raised the allegation against the Delhi government. It was the Congress which filed a complaint in that regard, paving the way for the probe by the Enforcement Directorate," Vijayan alleged, as quoted by news agency PTI.
The Kerala CM alleged that when former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia was arrested, the grand old party clamoured for the arrest of Kejriwal. "They asked why Kejriwal was not arrested. This was the stand taken by the Congress. However, they changed their stance, which is a welcome move. The Congress leadership should acknowledge their mistake," Vijayan said, as quoted by PTI.
Speaking on the I.N.D.I.A. bloc rally which saw the presence of all crucial leaders of anti-BJP parties including the Congress and the CPI(M), he said that it was essential that "we all stand together against such moves by the BJP." "The Central government, led by the BJP, is targeting all opposition parties in the country," Vijayan said, as quoted by PTI.
Top leaders of the INDIA bloc on Sunday exhorted the people to defeat the BJP to save democracy and the Constitution and alleged that the opposition has been deprived of a level playing field in the Lok Sabha elections due to the government's "dictatorial" actions.
Coming together at the 'Loktantra Bachao' (Save Democracy) rally at Ramlila Maidan in the national capital, the first such show of strength by the opposition after the announcement of Lok Sabha polls, the leaders of 18 major parties slammed the arrest of Kejriwal and former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and gave a fervent call to the alliance partners to unite in national interest.