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Journalism of Courage
With the first phase of Lok Sabha elections just weeks from now, campaigning is picking up pace.
Sunday is a packed day, with major events lined up. First up is the INDIA bloc’s joint “Loktantra Bachao (Save Democracy)” rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan, the first such platform where the Opposition will come together to address the public after the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
The INDIA bloc is not in the best shape, facing deadends after dead ends over seat-sharing. But Kejriwal’s arrest in the Delhi excise policy case as well as the arrest of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren in February has been unilaterally condemned by every party in the bloc.
They see the arrests as an example of the BJP government’s “misuse” of central investigative agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to target the Opposition. In fact, the rally at Ramlila Maidan was announced at a joint press week by Opposition leaders.
Speaking at the Constitution Club, Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Delhi minister Gopal Rai said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was acting “like a dictator” and “suppressing democracy”, while Delhi Congress Chief Arvinder Singh Lovely had said that the party’s senior leader Rahul Gandhi had been trying to save the country’s democracy” and would protest “when democracy is being challenged”.
Taking to X on Saturday, Rahul spoke similarly and highlighted the rally. He said that the PM “wants to strangle democracy and take away the option from the people to choose a government of their choice”. It seems the country is being run not by a government but by a “criminal gang”, he said, adding that Sunday’s meeting will “tell the truth about the “liar, arrogant and corrupt government”.
“This fight is between BJP and the rights of the people…INDIA’s victory lies in the victory of democracy,” he asserted.
Meanwhile, speaking to the media, senior Congress leader and communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh said that “about 27-28 parties are involved in the rally”, underling that all constituents of the INDIA bloc will be taking part.
The rally will be a show of strength by the Opposition and also a test of whether they can speak in a single voice and band together over a cause. It will be attended by Rahul and other senior Congress leaders such as Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Kejriwal’s wife Sunita Kejriwal, Soren’s wife Kalpana Soren, and National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah, among others.
PM heads to Meerut
The PM will be in Meerut to address his first rally in Uttar Pradesh after the announcement of the polls.
In Meerut, the BJP has fielded actor Arun Govil, best known for playing Lord Ram in the series Ramayana, as its candidate. The BJP gave a ticket to Govil after dropping its sitting MP Rajendra Agrawal, who had won the Meerut seat for consecutive three terms since 2009. This will be Govil’s electoral debut.
The Ram Temple — among the BJP’s most committed and longest ideological projects — was consecrated on January 22 this year by PM Modi and it is being used by the BJP as a key poll plank in the Lok Sabha polls. Govil’s selection by the BJP among its UP candidates assumes significance in this context.
The PM’s messaging therefore, will be closely seen. The rally will also be attended by Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) president Jayant Chaudhary. The RLD, which has an influence in Western Uttar Pradesh, recently joined the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.
Mamata’s rally in Krishnanagar
Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee will address a rally in Krishnanagar, the constituency from where expelled TMC MP Mahua Moitra is contesting.
After her expulsion in a cash-for-questions case last year, Mahua, the sitting MP, has been facing more and more heat.
Recently, she received another ED summons over an alleged Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) contravention case, part of a cash-for-questions allegations case.
Banerjee’s presence in Krishnagar, which will turn out to be one of the most closely watched fights in Bengal, will be tracked for the rhetoric that the CM will deploy at a time when the BJP has been going all out to attack the TMC on corruption and other issues to make inroads on Bengal.
In Krishnanagar, the BJP has fielded ‘Rajmata’ Amrita Roy, a debutant and member from the area’s royal family, to take on Mahua.
Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself called up Roy — a conversation the BJP circulated— and told her he was working to ensure that the money “looted from the poor people of West Bengal” and attached by the ED is returned to them.
— With inputs from PTI
