In a fervent denouncement of what she perceives as the overreach of the Narendra Modi-led administration, Kalpana Soren, the spouse of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, lambasted the misuse of central agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

A sprawling assembly of the India bloc convened under the banner of ‘Dismantle Dictatorship, Uphold Democracy’ took center stage at the Ramlila Maidan in the heart of the city this past Sunday. Kalpana Soren, accompanied by Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren, took to the podium on behalf of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), a constituent of the India bloc.

In a scathing rebuke directed towards the government, Kalpana Soren asserted that “those daring to voice dissent are being incarcerated.”

She continued, “No repercussions befall those affiliating with the ruling party (BJP). Opposition figures are subjected to undue harassment. Despite the absence of any wrongdoing, leaders from across the political spectrum are being targeted. Fabricated charges are pressed, and coercive investigations are conducted by the ED. The ED and CBI are being flagrantly misappropriated,” voiced Kalpana Soren.

“We demand swift dispensation of justice. Hence, we are resolute in our collective resistance against authoritarian governance. In defense of democracy, we must take to the streets,” she proclaimed.

The rally saw the presence of former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress luminary Priyanka Gandhi, Samajwadi Party (SP) stalwart Akhilesh Yadav, Rashtryia Janata Dal (RJD) luminary and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, National Conference luminary Farooq Abdullah, and PDP luminary Mehbooba Mufti, among other dignitaries.