New Delhi: Taking a dig at the BJP-led NDA at the Centre, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday questioned why it was 'scared' of the AAP and other Opposition forces if it was so confident of going '400 paar' (beyond 400 seats) in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Addressing the Opposition's Maha Rally at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan on Sunday, the former UP chief minister said, "These people (BJP and its NDA partners) are raising chants of '400 paar'. If they are so confident of winning that many seats, why be scared of the AAP and the other Opposition leaders? They are sending elected chief ministers to jail. Not just fellow countrymen but the whole world has condemned these arrests."
Further raising the pitch against the BJP, the SP chief added, "The BJP call themselves the biggest political party in the world. However, on the evidence of their track record over the last 10 years, they are a party of the biggest liars in the universe."
Accusing the ruling party at the Centre of using probe agencies at their disposal to harass Opposition leaders and keep their hold on power, Akhilesh claimed that they would lose as many seats as they are claiming to win.
"If they keep using the ED, CBI and IT to stay in power, then they are not going to win but lose 400 seats. A closer look at the prevailing state of affairs in the country would tell you that the people are not with the BJP," the former UP chief minister added.
"The entire country knows today how the BJP raised funds using the ED and CBI. To prevent more skeletons (on electoral bonds) from tumbling out, they are filing false cases against Opposition leaders using the ED and CBI," Akhilesh said.
In a show of strength against the arrest of Chief Minister Kejriwal in connection with a money laundering case linked to the Delhi excise policy 'scam', and several other issues, the leaders of the INDIA bloc held a 'Loktantra Bachao' rally at the Ramlila Maidan on Sunday.
Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21 and is currently in the custody of the central agency till April 1.
Addressing the Loktantra Bachao rally, Kejriwal's wife, Sunita, assured party workers that her husband is as valiant as a lion and will not be in jail for long.
"Your Kejriwal is a lion, they will not be able to keep him in jail for long. He is in the hearts of crores of people," Sunita Kejriwal said at the Ramlila Maidan.
In an emotional pitch to AAP supporters and the people before reading out a message from her husband from ED custody, Sunita, a former Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer, said, "Your very own Kejriwal has sent a message for you from custody.
However, before reading out this message, I would like to ask you something. Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi put my husband in custody. Do you believe he did the right thing? Do you all believe that Kejriwal-ji is a true patriot and an honest person? These BJP people are saying that since Kejriwal is in jail, he should resign. Should he resign?"
She said seeing the determination and courage with which her husband was fighting the arrest in the liquor policy case reminded her of freedom fighters who laid down their lives during the struggle for independence.
"Seeing the courage and strong resolve with which he is fighting his arrest and for the people and country often reminds me of our freedom fighters who died fighting for our independence. Maybe Kejriwal was destined to wage this struggle for Bharat Ma," Sunita said.
