'Mother India in Pain': Sunita Kejriwal Reads out Husband's Message from Jail at 'Save Democracy Rally'

The arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has become the latest weapon of attack of INDIA bloc against the BJP-led Centre, which, its leaders alleged, is misusing its power to hound opposition leaders before the Lok Sabha polls which begin April 19.

New Delhi: Tyranny won't work and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal cannot be kept behind bars for long, said Sunita Kejriwal, reading out her husband's message from Enforcement Directorate custody at the INDIA bloc's 'Loktantra Bachao' rally here on Sunday.

In her maiden speech at a political rally, Sunita also asked people whether Kejriwal should resign as Chief Minister. "The BJP is demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Kejriwal. Should he resign? Is his arrest justified? He is a 'sher' (lion). They won't be able to keep him behind bars for long," she said. Sunita thanked people for showering blessings on her husband.

"This tyranny will not work. My husband is getting lots of blessings," she said. Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21 in a money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy. He is in ED custody till April 1.

Kejriwal's message included six guarantees on behalf of the INDIA bloc -- uninterrupted power supply, free electricity for the poor, government schools, Mohalla Clinics and multi-speciality hospitals, minimum support price for farmers, and full statehood for Delhi. "People of Delhi have faced injustice for the last 75 years. Their government was handicapped. We will make Delhi a full state if the INDIA bloc comes to power.

"If you give an opportunity to the INDIA bloc, we will build a great nation," Sunita said while reading out her husband's message. "Mother India is in pain. She feels pained when people do not get uninterrupted power supply or when someone dies without getting treatment," she added. In a show of opposition unity ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, INDIA bloc leaders came together at the 'Loktantra Bachao' rally at the Ramlila ground here in the backdrop of Kejriwal's arrest.

Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, RJD's Tejashwi Yadav, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI general secretary D Raja, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, NC's Farooq Abdullah and Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren were among those present.

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