Top leaders of the INDIA bloc on Sunday exhorted the people to defeat the BJP to save democracy and the Constitution and alleged that the opposition has been deprived of a level playing field in the Lok Sabha elections due to the government's "dictatorial" actions.
The public meeting was aimed at highlighting the issue of "attack on democracy" including the alleged misuse of agencies against opposition leaders in the aftermath of the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren and income tax notices to parties.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's wife Sunita Kejriwal, in her maiden speech at a political rally, called her husband a "sher" (lion) who will not stay behind bars for long, and announced his six "guarantees" to the country on behalf of the INDIA bloc.
Coming together at the 'Loktantra Bachao' rally at Ramlila Maidan, the leaders of 18 major parties gave a fervent call for unity among the alliance partners in national interest.
JMM leader Hemant Soren's wife Kalpana Soren and Kejriwal's wife Sunita Kejriwal also addressed the gathering, lashing out at the central government over the arrest of their husbands in corruption cases.
She read out her husband's message from ED custody, and announced the six guarantees, which also includes full statehood for Delhi.
Addressing the INDIA bloc's 'Loktantra Bachao' (Save Democracy) rally at the Ramlila Maidan, she began her speech by asking the crowd whether the Delhi chief minister's arrest was right.
“Our Prime Minister Modi ji put my husband in jail. Did the prime minister do the right thing? Do you all believe that Kejriwal ji is a true patriot and honest person? These BJP people are saying that Arvind Kejriwal is in jail, he should resign. Should Arvind Kejriwal ji resign?” she asked.
She claimed that her husband is fighting for the motherland and equated him with freedom fighters who had fought for the country's independence.
If you give the chance to the INDIA bloc and give them the responsibility, we will together construct a great nation, she said, quoting Arvind Kejriwal's letter.
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, RJD's Tejashwi Yadav, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI general secretary D Raja, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, NC's Farooq Abdullah and Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren were among those present.