"Govts of non-BJP ruled states being harassed": Kalpana Soren reads out Hemant Soren's letter at INDIA bloc's 'Ulgulan Nyay rally'

She said that the government of non-BJP-ruled states are being "harassed" by the Centre adding that the country is going through a "very difficult situation".

"Today the country is going through a very difficult situation. The BJP-led NDA government has been at the Centre since 2014. The public gave NDA the chance to form the government twice. NDA wants to establish its hold in the states across the country. The governments of non-BJP-ruled states are being harassed. At some places, the government is being toppled and at some places, MP and MLA horse-trading is being done," Kalpana Soren said while addressing the gathering in Ranchi.

Hemant Soren through the letter also targeted the BJP-led central government accusing it of "cheating" the people of the country.

Kalpana Soren then read out Hemant Soren's letter, which said, "People were urged to dream and then dust was thrown into their eyes. They cheated the young people, women and tribals. Efforts are underway to suppress the opposition. The country's democracy is in danger. If we demand our rights, we are put in jail."

"For the last 4 years, the opposition has conspired against me and has kept me in jail for about two and a half months on baseless allegations. Similarly, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has been kept in Tihar jail along with his associates. The opposition leaders are being put in jail on baseless allegations ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in a planned manner," Kalpana Soren said, as she read out the former CM's letter.

The letter further acknowledged the INDIA bloc's efforts to "save democracy".

"Today, despite being in jail, I am happy that the fight that I am fighting is the same fight that different parties and revolutionary leaders of the country are fighting to save democracy. Ulgulan itself means that the government of thugs will no longer be running. Will not allow democracy to be looted. Will not allow the Constitution to be destroyed. The Lok Sabha elections are going on. On one side, there are the people of the INDI alliance and on the other side there are the group of capitalists and the NDA government," Kalpana Soren said while reading out the letter.

The grand Opposition rally, Ulgulan Nyay rally, in Ranchi held today amidst the Lok Sabha polls was themed around the arrest of the ex-Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and AAP's Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, two of the key faces of the INDIA bloc. Both Hemant Soren and Kejriwal are in judicial custody.

Speaking at the rally, Sunita Kejriwal, the wife of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, also levelled strong accusations against the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre.

She said that every morsel being consumed by her husband is being monitored and attempts are being made to "kill" him in jail by denying him insulin.

The former bureaucrat further said that CM Kejriwal has "no desire" for power and he just wants to serve the nation and bring it to the first position in the world.

"Arvind Kejriwal has no desire for power. He just wants to serve the nation. He wants to make the country no.1. He says if educated people don't come in politics, how will the country progress?...'Jail ke taale tutenge, Arvind Kejriwal, Hemant Soren chhutenge," she said.

"Many people say politics is a very dirty thing, and it's true. There is a camera over his food, his every morsel is being monitored...He is a sugar patient, and he has been taking 50 units of insulin every day for the last 12 years. But he is not being given insulin in jail. They want to kill Delhi's CM," the wife of the AAP national convenor said.

She also read out Arvind Kejriwal's message from jail, and elaborated upon the promises made by the Aam Aadmi Party for the Lok Sabha elections. "He (Arvind Kejriwal) has said if INDIA bloc comes to power and is given the responsibility, we will all make India great. 'INDIA' is not just in our name, but in our hearts too," the former bureaucrat said.

Two empty chairs, one each for jailed Delhi chief minister Kejriwal and former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren, were kept on stage.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and AAP MP Sanjay Singh, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, former Bihar deputy Chief Minister and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and Jharkhand CM Champai Soren attended the rally.

A total of 28 political parties, part of the INDIA bloc, participated in the 'Nyay' rally held in Ranchi.

Earlier, a similar INDIA bloc rally was also held in the Ramlila Maidan in the national capital, where several opposition leaders joined hands to make a call for "saving democracy" in the country.

JMM executive president Hemant Soren was arrested by the ED in connection with a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam on January 31, shortly after he resigned as the chief minister.

JMM legislature party leader Champai Soren took oath as the chief minister of Jharkhand on February 2, after his predecessor Hemant Soren's arrest.

Delhi CM Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 by the ED about the Delhi Excise Policy case. The trial court, on April 15, extended the judicial custody of Arvind Kejriwal until April 23.

Elections will be held in Jharkhand in four phases: May 13, 20, 25, and June 1.

In 2019, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won 12 seats in Jharkhand, with the BJP winning 11. The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Congress got one seat each. (ANI)