New Delhi: For the third time in less than a month, Opposition leaders came together in a public show of unity at a rally organised by the Aam Aadmi Party and demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, be ousted from power in the elections as they posed a “threat” to democracy and constitutional values.
AAP president and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said people should not repeat the mistake of making a “Class 12 pass out” as the Prime Minister, and should back an “educated” leader. His West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee said the situation was “more dangerous” than the Emergency.
Besides Mr Kejriwal and Ms Banerjee, AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, National Confere-nce leader Farooq Abdullah, Sharad Yadav of the Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD), NCP's Sharad Pawar, DMK's Kanimozhi, ex-Arunachal chief minister Gegong Apang, CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI leader D. Raja and Samajawadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav spoke at the rally at Jantar Mantar.
Ms Banerjee asked Opposition parties to fight in unison at the national level to oust the BJP-led NDA from power.
“Any fight with the Congress will remain in the state (West Bengal). At the national level, we will fight together, this I am saying from the heart... For the greater interest of the country, I am ready to sacrifice my life, my party. I am ready to sacrifice everything,” she said, adding democracy in the country has become ‘Namocracy’.
She appealed to all the Opposition parties to play to their strengths and not cut into each others' votes. She also asked them to ensure they get all the seats in the states they are strong in.
“I went to a Gandhi statue and and thought that Modi has to be removed”, the West Bengal CM said, “People who have blood on their hands are ruling the country.”
“It is the Prime Minister's last day as elected leader in Parliament,” she said after the Lok Sabha adjourned sine die. “Everyone is afraid of Gabbar Singh. There are two of them -- (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi and (BJP chief Amit) Shah,” she claimed.
She said Mr Modi’s speech in Parliament was “his last” in the House as a people's representative and that his government has reached its “expiry date”.
Mr Kejirwal alleged that Mr Modi was trying to “tear apart the Constitution” and “destroy democracy”. “Last time you made a class 12 pass Prime Minister of the country. Do not commit the mistake this time and find someone who is educated....,” Kejriwal said, referring to questions raised on Mr Modi’s educational qualifications.
The Congress was represented by Anand Sharma. Disgruntled BJP lawmaker Shatrughan Sinha joined the leaders and trained his guns at his own party's government.
