National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah and PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti have spoken out vehemently against the recent arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, expressing concerns over what they perceive as growing “authoritarianism” within the ruling government.
According to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Omar further raised concerns about the possibility of the BJP exploiting Kejriwal’s situation to impose President’s rule in Delhi, thereby interfering with the democratic process. He urged the Aam Aadmi Party to remain vigilant and warned against the misuse of constitutional provisions to subvert the will of the people. “If Aam Aadmi Party is adamant on keeping Arvind Kejriwal as Chief Minister from jail. The Center may use this as an excuse to impose President’s rule in New Delhi. Arvind Kejriwal is not the first in such a case and he will not be the last.”
He also criticized the BJP’s purported confidence in winning over 400 seats in the upcoming elections, juxtaposing it with what he describes as evident nervousness within the party. He suggested that Kejriwal’s arrest is indicative of this anxiety, labeling it as a stain on democracy.
Omar also highlighted past instances of opposition leaders being targeted, citing the detention of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren as an example.
PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti echoed similar sentiments, condemning Kejriwal’s arrest as an act of political vendetta. She warned against the dangers of arbitrary arrests and expressed apprehensions about the ruling party’s intentions, cautioning that such actions could undermine democratic norms. She emphasized the need for unified resistance against tyranny, asserting that history has shown that authoritarianism cannot prevail in the face of collective opposition. “The arbitrary arrest of yet another Chief Minister by the ED smacks of political vendetta and growing authoritarianism. This cowardly act has exposed the apprehensions of the ruling party that now desperate measures are being taken by manipulating the elections even before the elections are held. History is witness to the fact that tyranny has never been able to prevail in the face of unified resistance. We will not be afraid,” Mehbooba said—(KNO)