BJP arrested opposition leaders to divert attention from expose on electoral bonds: Akhilesh

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday said the BJP-led Centre arrested opposition leaders to divert people's attention after it was exposed that the party ''extorted'' money through electoral bonds by misusing the ED and CBI.

For the first time in the history of the country, ''extortion'' is being done by showing fear. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ''extorted'' money from many companies in the name of electoral bonds, Yadav said. When their ''extortion'' technique was exposed, the BJP government arrested the opposition leaders to divert people's attention, the SP chief, who was here to address party workers, added.

''The BJP government has discovered new ways of corruption and loot,'' he said.

The ruling BJP has collected donations by showing fear and putting pressure on Enforcement Directorate (ED), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and other government agencies, Yadav said. Addressing mediapersons later, the SP supremo said the BJP-led Central government is worried because of the unity of the INDI Alliance and is therefore defaming opposition leaders by filing fake cases.

''We all have faith in the judiciary. The court will support the truth. Gradually all the leaders will come out. The BJP government has implicated Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Jharkhand's Hemant Soren, SP's Mohammad Azam Khan and his family, and MLA Irfan Solanki in false cases,'' he said.

''To suppress the voice of the opposition, these leaders have been sent to jail out of hatred. This time in the Lok Sabha elections, people will vote against the injustice and false cases foisted by the BJP,'' he added.

Yadav, without taking names, said people are doubting that poison has been given to a prisoner in jail, apparently referring to mafia-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari's death.

Ansari died following a heart attack in Banda jail last week and his family has alleged that he was poisoned.

''People will take account of the way murders are taking place in jail, the way lynchings are taking place in police stations and are going to vote against them (BJP) in the coming elections,'' he said.

To a question on declaring candidate from the Kannauj Lok Sabha seat, Yadav said the announcement will be made during the auspicious Navratri period (April 8-17).