The INDIA bloc will hold a “massive” rally at the Ramlila Maidan here on 31st March for “the protection of democracy and democratic institutions, which are being crushed and subjugated by the BJP government at the Centre, through authoritarian methods”, said senior leaders of AAP and Delhi unit of Congress on Sunday .

They also called upon citizens to “unite and amplify their voices in defense of democracy”.

The announcement comes in the wake of arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in liquor policy case.

Addressing a joint press conference along with the top leaders of the Delhi Congress, Delhi minister and senior AAP leader Gopal Rai said, “The way the Prime Minister of the country, employing full authoritarianism, has killed democracy in this country, by arresting Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, the anger within all the people who love the Constitution, love democracy, who love the constitutional institutions of this country, is palpable. ”

Attacking the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rai, who is also the AAP Delhi state convenor said, “It’s not just about Arvind Kejriwal. The way the Prime Minister is misusing agencies, conspiring, trading MLAs, intimidating people, either buying off or threatening the entire opposition with money or by threatening them with the ED and the CBI to join their party, is enraging everyone. Against all those opposition leaders who are neither ready to be sold nor ready to bow down, nor stop, there is a conspiracy to arrest them by fabricating false cases.”

Rai further said, “Before the arrest of CM Kejriwal, we have seen how the CM of Jharkhand was arrested there.”

“If this country remains silent, then today if a CM can be arrested publicly, who will raise their voice after the elections? If the account of such an old party like Congress can be frozen, then every business person who does not donate to them (BJP) will have their accounts seized forcibly. They (BJP) will seize the account of every citizen of this country. Anyone who dares to speak against them will be thrown into jail. It is necessary to raise voice against this dictatorship,” he said.

The minister added, “Whoever loves this country, should gather at Ramleela Maidan at 10 am on 31st March. We will raise our voice from there to end the authoritarianism of this country and collectively take this fight forward,” he concluded.”

Echoing similar sentiments, Delhi Congress chief Arvinder Singh Lovely said that the party will fully back and participate in the massive public meeting at the Ramlila Maidan.

Attacking the ruling dispensation, he said, “The way the bank accounts of the country’s most prominent opposition party, the Congress Party, were forcibly freezed by the BJP government at the time of elections, no government in the country has ever acted with a spirit of revenge. ”

He said that “the BJP government arresting opposition leaders just before the elections clearly shows their frustration.”