MVA slams Congress leader Pawan Khera's arrest as 'dictatorship'

Mumbai, Feb 23 (IANS) The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in Maharashtra cried foul over the abrupt arrest of Congress national spokesperson Pawan Khera, who was deplaned and taken into custody while en route to attend the AICC session in Raipur, here on Thursday.

Maharashtra unit Congress president Nana Patole said that this is the outcome of the recently-concluded Bharat Jodo Yatra (BJY) that has moved the sand from under the feet of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre.

Flaying Khera's arrest, Nationalist Congress Party MP Supriya Sule said "this is a condemnable act that infringes upon his right to freedom of expression and political association".

"Discrimination based on political beliefs is not only morally wrong but also unconstitutional," said Sule.

"There is an emergency-like situation in the country. The BJP wanted to make news and hence they nabbed Khera, ahead of the Congress session. They are trying to choke the Opposition," said Shiv Sena (UBT) MP and Chief Spokesperson Sanjay Raut.

Congress chief spokesperson Atul Londhe feels that democracy is being openly throttled in the country and those who are raising people's issues are becoming victims of the government machinery.

"What about Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has uttered many slights even against former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh? By this yardstick, he should have been arrested many times. We are prepared to make any sacrifices to save democracy in the country," declared Londhe.

Patole suspects that the BJP is creating deliberate obstacles to the Congress Session in Raipur, "but no matter whatever hurdles are created, the Session will be held there".

Earlier, there were raids on Congress leaders in Chhattisgarh to harass them ahead of the party convention, but nothing was found, proving that the Narendra Modi-led Central government has crushed democracy and the Constitution to run a dictatorial regime, Patole said sharply.

"The BJP government has crossed all limits, attempts are being made to eliminate the opposition parties through repression as the people are now supporting the Congress in large numbers after the BJY. We shall continue to fight such authoritarian tendencies for democracy," Patole said grimly.