From level-playing ground to release of Kejriwal, Soren: INDIA bloc’s 5 demands to EC

Listing out the other demands at the ‘Loktantra Bachao Rally’ held at Ramlila Ground in Delhi, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said the poll panel should stop the Enforcement Directorate, CBI and the Income Tax department’s actions against opposition parties being taken to adversely impact the elections, the Congress leader demanded.

During the elections, action to forcefully scuttle the finances of opposition parties should be immediately stopped, she said, reading out the INDIA bloc’s demands at the rally.

The opposition alliance also demanded that a Supreme Court-monitored SIT be set to probe the BJP’s “extortion” of funds through the electoral bonds scheme.

“The Election Commission should ensure a level playing field for all parties in Lok Sabha elections, EC should stop the strong-arm tactics of the ED, CBI and Income Tax Department, which are indicative of foul play, Hemant Soren and Arvind Kejriwal should be released from custody immediately. Actions to financially strangulate opposition parties before Lok Sabha should be stopped and an SIT under the supervision of the Supreme Court should be formed to look into money laundering and extortion by the BJP in the form of electoral bonds,” Vadra said at the rally also attended by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.

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, National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah, and Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren, among others, were also present at the rally.

Slamming Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vadra also said she would like to tell him that the message of Lord Ram’s life is that power is not permanent and arrogance gets shattered.

“When I was a kid, I used to come (here) with my grandmother Indira Ji and she used to narrate the Ramayana to me. Those in power today call themselves Ram Bhakts. When I was sitting here I thought that I should say something to them. I want to remind them of the 1,000-year-old tale and its message.” “When Lord Ram fought for truth, he did not have power, resources or even a chariot. Ravan had chariots, resources, army and gold but Lord Ram had truth, hope, belief, love, kindness, modesty, patience, courage and truth. I want to tell those in power and PM Narendra Modi that the message of Lord Ram’s life is that power is not permanent… and arrogance gets shattered,” Gandhi added.