Drawing a parallel with Vladimir Putin's status as president for life in Russia amid sham elections there, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would become 'Narendra Putin' and be a leader for life if he wins the 2024 general elections.
Pitching for the need of Opposition unity, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal mounted a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and said that Delhi is the first to be "attacked" and similar ordinances will also be brought for other states.
Speaking at the "AAP Maha Rally" organised at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan against the Centre's ordinance over the control of services in the national capital, Kejriwal said the ordinance was an insult to the people of the city, according to PTI.
Kejriwal alleged that the ordinance says that there will be no democracy in Delhi. Punjab Chief Minister and AAP leader Bhagwant Mann joined Kejriwal and mounted a personal attack on Prime Minister, saying that he wants to be leader for life like Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Kejriwal also mounted a personal attack on Modi, comparing him to the Nazi Germany's dictator Adolf Hitler.
Kejriwal said at the AAP Maha Rally that not accepting the Supreme Court order on the control of services in Delhi is "Hitler-shahi".
Last month, the Supreme Court passed an order to hand over the control of services in Delhi excluding police, public order and land to the elected government. The Centre brought an ordinance to essentially override the SC judgement.
"When Prime Minister Narendra Modi says he does not accept the Supreme Court's decision, it is 'Hitler-shahi'. This black ordinance of Modiji says 'I don't accept democracy'. Now there will be a tyrannical rule in Delhi. Now the people of Delhi are not supreme, but the LG is'," said Kejriwal, as per PTI.
He further said, "There will be dictatorship in Delhi and the LG (lieutenant governor) is supreme. People can vote for whoever they want, but the Centre will run Delhi...I have been travelling across the country and I want to assure the people of Delhi that they are not alone. The 140 crore people of India are with them."
Delhi is the "first city to be attacked" and they will bring such ordinances for Rajasthan and other states too, Kejriwal further claimed.
On the arrests of AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain, Kejriwal said they were arrested in order to stop works in the national capital.
"But we have have 100 Sisodias and 100 Jains. They will continue the good work," said Kejriwal.
"I want to ask that PM (Narendra) Modi has been in power as Gujarat chief minister and then as prime minister for long, and Kejriwal has been in power for eight years, who has done more work for people," said Kejriwal in another swipe at Modi.
The event was also attended by Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal, who stressed on opposition unity to fight the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
In another swipe at Modi, Punjab CM said that he would become "Narendra Putin" in case the BJP wins 2024 general elections.
It was a reference to Putin being considered the president for life in Russia amid elections perceived to be widely unfair.
Mann said, "If the BJP wins in 2024, they would change the Constitution and then Prime Minister Narendra Modi will become Narendra Putin and then there will never be any elections in India."