AAP’s protest against Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest, Supreme Court hearing likely today
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has called for a nationwide protest against the BJP following.
The arrest of party supremo and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate in the alleged liquor policy case. The AAP has also invited the Opposition-headed INDIA bloc to join the protest.
Arvind Kejriwal is the first sitting Chief Minister who has been arrested.
AAP’s Delhi unit convenor Gopal Rai, who is also Delhi Environment Minister, termed Kejriwal’s arrest “murder of democracy” and an “announcement of dictatorship”. He said whoever is against the dictatorship of the BJP should join the protest.
Sources informed India Today that the Delhi Chief Minister had a tough night sleeping in the ED custody and was provided with blankets and medicines that his family gave him from home.
Kejriwal was arrested from his residence on Thursday evening after the Enforcement Directorate questioned him and searched his house. He was taken to the federal agency’s headquarters where he spent the night. The Supreme Court is likely to hear a plea filed by Arvind Kejriwal’s legal team on Friday.
Delhi minister and AAP leader Atishi said on Friday that the party is “concerned” about Arvind Kejriwal’s safety and security. “Arvind Kejriwal is Z+ protectee. He is under central government’s ED’s custody,” she said at a press briefing on Friday, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to finish off the Opposition.
Gopal Rai claimed that Kejriwal’s family has been put under house arrest, and the AAP is unable to even contact the Delhi Chief Minister’s parents. Rai further alleged that he is not being allowed to meet Kejriwal’s family.
According to Congress sources, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi spoke to Kejriwal over the phone and is going to visit his residence at 10 am to meet the Delhi Chief Minister’s family members. He has also assured them of his support
Gopal Rai along with his colleague Atishi and AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak held a midnight press briefing on Thursday after Kejriwal’s arrest. Rai appealed to all “countrymen” to protest outside BJP offices across India. “We will gather at the AAP office at 10 am on Friday and then protest outside the BJP headquarters,” he added.
Calling Kejriwal an “ideology” and not a person, Rai further said that if the Delhi Chief Minister can be arrested, “anyone” can meet the same fate and “their voice can be suppressed”.
Gopal Rai said that Friday’s protest is an “open” stir and anyone who is against the BJP’s dictatorship is “welcome to join”. He also called on Delhiites to join the fight, saying the saffron party had “crossed all limits”. Atishi, meanwhile, assured support from INDIA bloc members.
Several Opposition leaders have condemned the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal, including Rahul Gandhi, NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule, and Trinamool Congress’s Derek O’Brien. On X, Rahul Gandhi hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying a “scared dictator wants to create a dead democracy”. He also said that the INDIA alliance would give a “befitting reply”
The BJP, meanwhile, took a fresh swipe at Arvind Kejriwal by calling him a “chor (thief)” on X. The BJP also released an old video of Kejriwal, in which he said that if tomorrow Manish Sisodia or he himself is accused of theft, they would need to go to jail. Sisodia is already behind bars in the alleged Delhi liqour policy case.
“Today Arvind Kejriwal’s wish has been fulfilled,” BJP tweet, roughly translated from Hindi, read.
There has been massive traffic jam across Delhi since Friday morning as Delhi Police have tightened security and barricaded several roads in anticipation of protests. Jam was prominent in ITO on the road heading to DDU Marg (AAP office). Furthermore, the Delhi Metro Corporation (DMRC) announced on X ITO metro station will remain shut between 8 am and 6 pm on Friday on the “advice of Delhi Police”.
Security has also been strengthened on roads leading to BJP headquarters in Delhi in view of AAP leaders and workers protest against Kejriwal’s arrest.
Following the Delhi Chief Minister’s arrest, AAP leader and minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said the ED seized Rs 70,000 in cash during its search of Arvind Kejriwal’s residence. Bharadwaj further said that the probe agency returned the recovered cash. Furthermore, the mobile phones of Kejriwal and his family members were also taken away by officials, sources said.
The mobile phones of Kejriwal and his family members were also taken away by the officials, sources said.
Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest came after the Delhi High Court on Thursday refused to grant him interim protection from coercive action in connection with the nine summons to him by the Enforcement Directorate.