Pilot slams Kejriwal's arrest; says people won't tolerate BJP's attempt to crush opposition

Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Friday slammed the BJP over the arrest of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and said people in a democracy will not accept the Centres attempt to crush the opposition out of vendetta.Talking to reporters at Rajiv Bhavan, the state Congress headquarter in Chhattigsarhs capital Raipur, Pilot said his party had not done well in Lok Sabha polls since the state got formed in 2000 but the performance would be much better this time.The BJP-led Centre has seized bank accounts of Congress which is immoral, unconstitutional and illegal.

Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Friday slammed the BJP over the arrest of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and said people in a democracy will not accept the Centre's attempt to crush the opposition out of vendetta.

Talking to reporters at Rajiv Bhavan, the state Congress headquarter in Chhattigsarh's capital Raipur, Pilot said his party had not done well in Lok Sabha polls since the state got formed in 2000 but the performance would be much better this time.

''The BJP-led Centre has seized bank accounts of Congress which is immoral, unconstitutional and illegal. Chief ministers are being arrested. Earlier we saw this in Jharkhand and now in Delhi yesterday night. The ED arrested a CM just ahead of elections. What does the model code of conduct mean?'' questioned Pilot, who is the party's in charge for Chhattisgarh.

It is the responsibility of the Election Commission to show transparency and people will feel free and fair elections can take place in the country only if it intervenes now, he said.

''I have never seen such action being taken against any chief minister, irrespective of the party he/she belongs to. It is not important whether he is in the INDIA bloc or not. The BJP government has crossed limits of morality, decorum and political conduct,'' he said.

''About 95 per cent of actions carried out by the Enforcement Directorate were against opponents of the BJP. As soon as they stop opposing the BJP, they get a clean chit. People are watching how the opposition's voice is being suppressed and crushed,'' he added.

When asked about the FIR against former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel by the state's Economic Offence Wing in connection with Mahadev online betting app scam, Pilot said the party was not going to get scared.

''Let them lodge FIR and carry out character assassination. People will not accept the BJP-led Centre's attempt to crush the opposition out of vendetta in a democracy. We will fight people's battle,'' Pilot said.

Central agencies are being misused, he said, adding that probes must not be selective just with the intention of inflicting political damage.

''No probe has been conducted so far against people belonging to the ruling party, which is a big question in front of the country. A probe should be conducted into the alleged scam conducted by the BJP through electoral bonds,'' Pilot said.

The voting for 11 Lok Sabha seats in Chhattisgarh will be held in three phases on April 19, April 26 and May 7.