“Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest is another manifestation of the BJP’s ongoing effort to undermine democracy and turn the country into a single-party dictatorship. It leaves little to the imagination that the Modi regime is engaged in a systematic dismantling of the institutions the founding fathers of modern India created, which ironically made it possible for the BJP to reach the seats of power,” said George Abraham, Vice-chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, USA. ‘Moreover, the freezing of the accounts of the Indian National Congress is another wanton act in total disregard for the rights of others that belittles ethics and basic decency”, he added.
The dictatorial tendencies of this administration are quite at display in the way the government is using investigating agencies to go after political rivals and showing any lack of respect for civility by using threats and intimidation to force leaders to cross party lines and thereby nullifying the will of the people at the electoral booths. The highly partisan and exclusivist social and cultural agenda is driving the country away from true democratic principles into a majoritarian rule, which is an antithesis of what Gandhiji, Nehru, and Ambedkar envisaged and sacrificed for.
The arrest of a popular chief Minister who is part of the opposition alliance at this juncture is a blatant disregard for democratic values and can be termed as election interference by the governing entities. This happens in the backdrop of crores of rupees changing hands in the form of electoral bonds and, in many cases, described as pay-to-play schemes. While the BJP is collecting vast sums of money, it is also intent on hurting the Congress party that is in opposition by freezing its accounts and denying any financial means to fight elections fairly.
Undoubtedly, India’s democracy is hanging by a thread and the IOCUSA urges the BJP government to release Mr. Kejriwal from imprisonment, unfreeze the accounts of the Indian National Congress, and pave the way for fair and free elections.
