Srinagar: Kashmiri unionists, including National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah and PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti, strongly criticized the recent arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, expressing concerns over what they perceive as growing "authoritarianism" within the ruling government.
While Abdullah sarcastically pointed out the possibility of imposing presidential rule, Mufti termed the arrest as a political vendetta.
Omar raised concerns about the possibility of the BJP exploiting Kejriwal's situation to imposethe 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 the Aam Aadmi Party is adamant about 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 mentioned that this ruling government has arrested many opposition leaders, citing the arrest 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 stressed 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, indicating that desperate measures are being taken by manipulating the elections even before they are held," she said.
"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," she added.
(KNO)