"Ensure Level-Playing Field": INDIA Bloc To Poll Body After Arvind Kejriwal's Arrest

Following the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the INDIA bloc on Friday submitted a memorandum to the Election Commission of India urging its intervention in the "targeting of opposition leaders" by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party through the "misuse of central agencies".

The representation to the ECI was made by Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal, Abhishek Singhvi, NCP (SCP) leader Jitendra Awhad, CPI (M) leader Sitaram Yechury, Trinamool Congress MP Derek O Brien and several other leaders.

The INDIA bloc in its memorandum, has urged the poll body to ensure that any further raids, investigations, and arrests are first vetted and approved by the Commission or a committee set up under it.

It also urged the Election Commission to take immediate action, including the launch of investigations against all those individuals and officers who have misused their offices to harass the leaders of the opposition.

"Take any other steps necessary to ensure the constitutional mandate of a level playing field and to prevent political parties in power from misusing the State machinery against the leaders and political parties contesting elections in a democratic setup," the memorandum submitted to the poll body read.

The memorandum further pointed out the recent action taken by Central agencies against NCP (SCP) leader Rohit Pawar, TMC leaders-- Shankar Adhya, Sujit Bose, Tapas Roy, former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, AAP leader ND Gupta, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, TMC leader Mahua Moitra. It also mentioned the freezing of the bank accounts of Congress by the Income Tax department.

The memorandum letter submitted to the poll body by the INDIA asserted that "arrests, of individuals holding Constitutional posts are clearly intended to have a stifling and deleterious effect on the democratic functioning of the affairs of their respective states, as well as the parties themselves".

The letter further read, "It is a move that is deliberately designed to demotivate and demoralise the members of these parties and the opposition at large. These arrested individuals, one of whom is the National Convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party, and the other is the Working President of Jharkhand, Mukti Morcha, are elected leaders of our country who have championed the cause of those on the margins of our society, including our brothers and sisters belonging to the tribal communities."

"Their arrests are meant to send a message straight to the voter. That the ruling regime will not countenance any real opposition to its electoral ambitions," it added.

Alleging that the BJP is freezing the Congress bank accounts ahead of the polls, the letter stated that these "malafide and egregious acts of freezing bank accounts followed by forceful recoveries have been done with the intention of disadvantaging the principal opposition party from running an unfettered election campaign for the Lok Sabha".

"The entire nation is witness to the unrelenting, blatant and illegal deployment of Central Agencies by the Party in Power to target, suffocate and intimidate the opposition parties," it added.

The Rouse Avenue Court on Friday sent Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to ED custody till March 28. The agency had sought 10 days of remand.

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) arrested Kejriwal on Thursday in connection with the alleged Delhi Liquor scam case. The AAP chief was produced before the court of Special Judge Kaveri Baweja.

After meeting the Election Commission, Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi said that a level playing field is needed for elections, but the ruling party is not allowing that, which has had an impact on free and fair elections.

"Almost every opposition party is here. This incident happened late at night (arrest of Delhi Chief Minister). We had a detailed discussion with the Election Commission. This isn't about an individual or any party but it relates to the basic structure of the constitution. When a level playing field is needed for an election and you do not let the field be leveled by misusing agencies, it impacts free and fair elections and ultimately democracy," he said.

Arvind Kejriwal's arrest came days after the ED arrested K Kavitha, Bharat Rashta Samithi (BRS) leader and daughter of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, in connection with its investigation into money laundering charges linked to the now-scrapped excise policy.

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