Opposition decries Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's arrest by ED ahead of general elections. Here's who said what

The arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has triggered a barrage of reactions from all corners of the political spectrum. Kejriwal's arrest, amidst allegations of involvement in the liquor scam, is a historic moment in Indian politics, as he becomes the first sitting chief minister to face such action.

In the wake of the arrest, condemnation poured in from various quarters.

TMC Parliamentary Leader Derek O'Brien criticised the move and questioned the timing of the Delhi CM's arrest. He said, "We vehemently condemn the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal, an elected CM, especially when EC is in charge & MCC is in place. Earlier his administrative powers were snatched through an illegal ordinance. How can we expect fair elections in India if sitting CMs & prominent opposition leaders are arrested weeks before polls? If SC & ECI fail to act now, who will stand with people against BJP's oppressive politics in future?"

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NCP President Sharad Pawar also decried it as a "vindictive misuse" of central agencies for political ends. In a post on X social media platform, he wrote, "Strongly condemn the vindictive misuse of central agencies to target the opposition, especially as general elections loom. This arrest showcases the depth to which BJP will stoop for power. ‘INDIA’ stands united against this unconstitutional action against #ArvindKejriwal."

Within the AAP ranks, party leader Saurabh Bharadwaj defended Kejriwal and cited a lack of evidence supporting the arrest. Bharadwaj said, "The Chief Minister's house was searched. They just found Rs 70,000 in cash...They have taken the Chief Minister's mobile and have arrested him. They haven't got any proof, evidence...or money trail..."

KTR Rao of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), a political party active in the Indian state of Telangana, labelled the arrest as "unlawful". Rao said, "Strongly condemn the unlawful arrest of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. The ED and the CBI have become the chief instruments of repression in the hands of BJP. Political opponents are targeted on unsubstantiated grounds & political vendetta is their sole purpose."

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Meanwhile, Tejashwi Yadav of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) accused the BJP of subverting democratic norms.Yadav in a post wrote, "The arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal clearly shows that instead of fighting the opposition democratically, BJP wants to fight the elections under the cover and strong help of investigative agencies and other constitutional institutions. The NDA government has imposed an undeclared emergency on the country, violating political, democratic and constitutional morality and dignity...."

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi also gave a strong reaction to Kejriwal's arrest. He wrote, "A scared dictator wants to create a dead democracy. While capturing all the institutions including the media, breaking up the parties, extorting money from companies, and freezing the account of the main opposition party was not enough for the 'devilish power', now the arrest of the elected Chief Ministers has also become a common thing. INDIA will give a befitting reply to this."

Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party, mostly active in Uttar Pradesh state, said, "Those who are themselves imprisoned in the fear of defeat, what will 'they' do by imprisoning someone else? BJP knows that it will not come to power again, and due to this fear, it wants to remove the opposition leaders from the public by any means at the time of elections, arrest is just an excuse. This arrest will give birth to a new people's revolution."

However, BJP MPs Manoj Tiwari and Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the arrest was to combat corruption, with Tiwari alleging that Kejriwal had "betrayed and looted Delhi."

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Tiwari said, "In the end, whatever happened in this case should have happened in a case of corruption... Arvind Kejriwal betrayed and looted Delhi, by making use of hoaxes and lies to form the government... People of Delhi are celebrating his arrest..."

The arrest also drew criticism from regional leaders like Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who denounced it as an attempt to stifle opposition voices during the election period.

Vijayan said, "Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's arrest is highly objectionable. This action is part of the effort to shut down the opposition voices at the stage of the election process. This shows the cowardice of those who fear the democratic process."

The Delhi CM and AAP national convenor, Arvind Kejriwal, who was arrested by the ED in the excise policy case, has been brought to the agency's headquarters.

(With inputs from agencies)