In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah and People’s Democratic Party Chief Mehbooba Mufti have spoken out vehemently against the recent arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, expressing concerns over what they termed as growing authoritarianism within the Narendra Modi-led Indian government.
According to Kashmir Media Service, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti in a statement issued in Srinagar while condemning Kejriwal’s arrest as an act of political vendetta and a sign of increasing authoritarianism.
“This cowardly act has exposed the apprehensions of the ruling party that now desperate measures are being taken by manipulating the elections even before the elections are held,” she said.
The PDP chief emphasized the need for unified resistance against tyranny, asserting that history has shown that authoritarianism cannot prevail in the face of collective opposition.
The NC leader Omar Abdullah echoing similar apprehensions also raised concerns about the possibility of the BJP exploiting Kejriwal’s situation to impose President’s rule in Delhi, thereby interfering with the democratic process. He warned against the misuse of constitutional provisions to subvert the will of the people.
He said that Kejriwal’s arrest was a stain on democracy and shows BJP’s remarkable degree of nervousness. Stating that Arvind Kejriwal was not the first in such a case and he would not be the last, Omar Abdullah also highlighted past instances of opposition leaders being targeted, citing the detention of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren as an example.—KMS
