Amritsar: Addressing Punjab Aam Aadmi Party constituents, including MLAs and MPs, Delhi’s Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal drew a parallel between the current state of affairs in India and that of Russia, alleging the presence of a “totalitarian regime” where opposition figures are incarcerated. Kejriwal urged party members to exert maximum effort to secure victory across all 13 Lok Sabha seats in the state.
He criticized the BJP, accusing it of imprisoning leaders from rival parties. “The autocracy prevailing in our nation is unacceptable. India has never witnessed such a phase in the past 75 years—incarcerating opposition figures,” stated the AAP leader. “Similar to Russia, where (Vladimir) Putin either jailed or eliminated rival leaders before orchestrating elections, garnering 87 percent of the vote. In the absence of opposition, victory becomes inevitable,” he asserted.
Kejriwal, who received bail from the Supreme Court in the Delhi excise policy case on May 10 to campaign in the Lok Sabha elections, is set to return to incarceration on June 2. “They imprisoned me, (former Delhi Deputy CM) Manish Sisodia was incarcerated, the Congress party’s accounts were frozen, they are harassing TMC, and (Tamil Nadu CM MK) Stalin’s ministers have been detained.”
“Detain everyone. This will leave only one party and one leader, but democracy will not endure. We must not allow this,” Kejriwal emphasized. The AAP national convenor alleged that his cell in Tihar jail was under constant surveillance, with two CCTV cameras installed, monitoring his every move.
“They scrutinized my activities—my waking moments, bathroom breaks, duration in the toilet,” he claimed. According to Kejriwal, 13 officers monitored the CCTV feed of his cell round the clock. “I was informed that one feed was relayed to the PMO and viewed on two TV screens to observe my actions,” he asserted.
“Their aim was to break me. Yet, I found solace in meditation and literature. I possess inner fortitude,” he added. Kejriwal accused the BJP of attempting to arrest him, anticipating the party’s collapse and government overthrow. “However, the outcome was contrary. AAP is a familial bond; during adversity, we stand united,” he declared.
“One Kejriwal’s arrest won’t alter AAP’s course; each member embodies Kejriwal’s spirit,” he affirmed. The Delhi CM alleged that despite provisions in the jail manual, a private meeting room was not arranged when Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann visited him in jail.
Kejriwal urged party leaders and officials to strive for victory in all 13 Punjab seats. “I must surrender on June 2 and return to confinement. As the results unfold on June 4, I’ll be confined, eagerly awaiting news of AAP’s triumph in Punjab. Let’s not falter,” he urged. Kejriwal commenced his Punjab visit on Thursday, hosting a rally in support of AAP’s Amritsar nominee, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal.