In a hard-hitting statement on the arrest of party spokesperson Pawan Khera, Congress on Thursday called the move "arbitrary and dictatorial" and a "cowardly attempt" to derail the AICC plenary in Raipur. Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal further said that Khera was arrested because Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scared of being questioned on his relationship with Gautam Adani.
"Khera was arrested on totally baseless charges, which were only trumped up because Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scared of being questioned on his relationship with Gautam Adani," Venugopal said.
"This charade is not going to deter us from raising questions about the manner in which the Modi government has systematically favoured the Adani group and is conspicuously silent on allegations of stock rigging, over valuation and benami money being pushed through a web of shell companies against the Adani Group of companies," the Congress leader further said.
Khera, who was on his way to Raipur for the Congress plenary session, was arrested amid high drama by Assam Police after he was deboarded from an IndiGo flight at Delhi airport.
Multiple cases have been registered against the Congress leader over his alleged remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He was subsequently released on interim bail following a Supreme Court directive.
Congress leaders sat on a dharna at the airport tarmac in protest and did not allow police to take him away without an arrest warrant.
READ | Was Deboarded And Arrested In Illegal Manner': Pawan Khera After Getting Interim Bail
Denouncing the "high handedness" of the BJP government, Venugopal said Khera was one of the most articulate voices of Congress, who has "opposed and questioned the flawed policies and divisive agenda of the Modi government".
Venugopal sought to link the arrest of Khera with BJP's bid to derail Congress' plenary session in Chhattisgarh.
"The Enforcement Directorate raided Congress leaders in Chhattisgarh, clearly timed to intimidate our Chhattisgarh unit during the crucial planning stage of the plenary. However, the BJP is totally misguided if it believes that such laughable intimidation tactics are going to dissuade us from exposing its corruption and misgovernance," he said.
The 'Haath Se Haath Jodo' AICC plenary will give a new vision to the country and start the countdown for the end of BJP’s misrule at the Centre, Venugopal further said.
BJP Reaction On Pawan Khera's Arrest
The BJP said the Opposition party's leaders should not live in this "misconception" that they were above the law and criticised them for their agitation on the Delhi airport tarmac.
"Whatever is done is done lawfully. Congress leaders should not live under this misconception that they are above the law," BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia told reporters.
"Now its spokesperson is apologising. This is the petty politics of the Congress that it will keep abusing the prime minister even if it loses whatever little standing it may have," Bhatia said.
Why Was Pawan Khera Arrested?
Khera recently referred to the Prime Minister as "Narendra Gautamdas Modi" while criticising the Central government over the row involving the business conglomerate headed by Gautam Adani. The ruling party has accused him of making fun of the prime minister and his late father.
PM's Modi's full name is Narendra Damodardas Modi, with the middle name Damodardas standing for his father's name, a common practice in many parts of the country.