A formidable alliance of opposition leaders united at Delhi's iconic Ramlila Ground in the INDIA bloc mega rally. Among those who addressed the gathering were Tejashwi Yadav, former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar; Mehbooba Mufti, former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir; Uddhav Thackeray, former Chief Minister of Maharashtra; Kalpana Soren, the wife of former Chief Minister of Jharkhand Hemant Soren; Akhilesh Yadav, former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh; Bhagwant Mann, current Chief Minister of Punjab; and Sharad Pawar, the founder of the NCP. Thackeray warned of the dangers of a single-party state, alleging suppression of democracy and misuse of investigative agencies by the BJP.
Tejashwi Yadav Launches Assault on Central Government
Throughout the rally, Tejashwi Yadav fiercely criticized the central government, stating, 'The crowds in Delhi are echoing that the storm which brought Modi Ji will sweep him away. Wherever we go, we're blessed by the public's support. We've united here for the democracy and constitution of our nation. A dangerous politics of hate is being fomented, pitting brother against brother... This time, those chanting for a 400 majority are left speechless. People are the true rulers, and they will decide who governs our nation. It seems like the EVMs have already been rigged.' He continued to address the pressing issues of inflation and unemployment, claiming no jobs were provided by Modi Ji and highlighting that the coalition government in Bihar had given five lakh jobs in 17 months.
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Mehbooba Mufti Accuses BJP of Treating Kashmir as a Laboratory
Mehbooba Mufti declared that elected representatives are being imprisoned on corruption charges to silence them. She noted this has been a common scenario in Jammu and Kashmir, where all former chief ministers were detained. She lauded Arvind Kejriwal for being staunchly honest and questioned what wrongs he committed—merely improving schools for the poor and providing free electricity and water to the people.
Uddhav Thackeray Issues Challenge
Speaking at the rally, Uddhav Thackeray expressed solidarity with Sunita Kejriwal and Kalpana Soren, adding that not only he, but the entire nation stood with them. He spoke to the current state of the nation, 'The BJP must be thinking that arresting Arvind Kejriwal and Hemant Soren will frighten the citizens. But they have failed to understand their countrymen. Every Indian is a fighter, not a quitter...'
If the BJP has the courage, Thackeray challenged the party, 'Then let go of everyone else. I dare you to proudly display on your banner that the BJP is backed by the ED, CBI, and IT department. A government that labels farmers as terrorists and blocks them from coming to Delhi, I call upon those farmers to stop this government from entering Delhi. They boasted that they would cross 400 seats in the elections; now, I urge you to spread the word that BJP needs to be ousted this time...'
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The Left Raises Issue of Electoral Bonds
CPML leader Dipankar Bhattacharya raised the contentious issue of electoral bonds, accusing the government of accumulating funds across the country to destabilize and dismantle state governments. 'Those who cannot be bowed are being sent to jail. From Satyendar Jain, Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh, to numerous Aam Aadmi Party leaders have been arrested. Even Kejriwal was detained by the ED in February. Jharkhand's Hemant Soren is incarcerated, and in Bihar, our party's Dalit MLAs are being targeted with false cases. It's time to fight for the survival of democracy and the constitution.'
Kalpana Soren Speaks Up for Democracy
Addressing the INDIA bloc 'mega-rally', JMM leader and wife of former CM Hemant Soren, Kalpana Soren stated, 'The tide of people here testifies to our resolve to extinguish the autocratic forces trying to erase our democracy...The current Indian regime is undermining the constitutional guarantees provided by Baba Saheb Ambedkar... It has been our constitutional values that have been torn apart and it's the public's duty to make the right electoral decision.'
"When We Entered Delhi, The Locals Fled..."
Akhilesh Yadav remarked during his address, 'We stand united at Ramlila Ground, a site of historical significance. It is from this ground that we declare that those in power in Delhi are not here to stay.
