The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) staged widespread protests across India, vehemently opposing the illegal arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and condemning the central government for misusing investigative agencies. In a show of solidarity, AAP members and supporters gheraoed BJP offices in 21 states, including Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Telangana, Maharashtra, and Gujarat.
The National Capital emerged as the epicentre of these demonstrations, where thousands, including ministers, MLAs, and party workers, congregated at the AAP headquarters. Among them was Cabinet Minister Atishi, who, despite being unwell, joined to bolster the spirits of the protestors. The crowd, wielding posters and chanting slogans, marched towards the BJP headquarters, only to be met with police barricades. Undeterred, the demonstrators staged a sit-in, condemning BJP’s authoritarian tactics and demanding the immediate release of CM Arvind Kejriwal.
AAP National General Secretary (Organisation) Dr. Sandeep Pathak said that the party protested at BJP headquarters in 21 states across the country against the illegal arrest of CM Arvind Kejriwal by the CBI. During this nationwide protest, AAP workers raised slogans against dictatorship. AAP workers were detained in different parts of the country. The purpose behind this nationwide protest of the AAP was to tell that the country will run by the Constitution, not by dictatorship.
“CM Arvind Kejriwal, who is doing the best work in the country, has been put in jail by the BJP’s central government in a false case. Now even the court has said that there is no evidence against CM Arvind Kejriwal. He was about to come out of jail on bail when the central government got CM Arvind Kejriwal arrested by the CBI. The people of the country are watching everything. In the upcoming Delhi elections, the people will give a befitting reply by wiping out the BJP,” Dr. Sandeep Pathak added.
AAP Delhi State Convenor Gopal Rai said that while CM Arvind Kejriwal is in jail, his soldiers are raising their voices on the streets. The people of Delhi brought about a new change under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal. Delhiites consider CM Arvind Kejriwal as their brother, son and hero. Ever since the AAP government was formed, a new revolution began in Delhi. CM Arvind Kejriwal did such works in Delhi that no state government could do in the political history of India. Delhi is the first state in the country where people get free electricity and water 24 hours a day. The best government schools in the country have been built in Delhi. Mohalla clinics have been built in Delhi.
“Delhi is the first state in the country where free tests and medicines are provided to the people in government hospitals and mohalla clinics. Women get free bus travel and the elderly are taken on free pilgrimage. Under the leadership of CM Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi has reduced pollution by 30% and has allocated ₹900 crores for the development of villages. The minimum wage of laborers in Delhi is double compared to other states of the country. The maximum number of CCTV cameras have been installed in Delhi,” he added.
The AAP Delhi State Convenor continued, stating, “Today the whole country calls Arvind Kejriwal a working hero. CM Arvind Kejriwal’s work is the main reason why the BJP harbors hatred towards him in their heart. They put Arvind Kejriwal, Satyender Jain, and Manish Sisodia in jail because they want to destroy the AAP. When the then Deputy CM Manish Sisodia was arrested, everyone said that this dictatorial conspiracy was being hatched to weaken the Kejriwal government. The Chief Minister of Delhi was picked up and put in jail. This happened for the first time in the history of the country. In the history of India, no sitting Chief Minister has been incarcerated till date. But they picked up a Chief Minister elected with a huge majority and put him in jail. Many people had a question in their mind that he must have done something, that is why he went to jail.”
Gopal Rai mentioned that the BJP people used to say repeatedly that they have not done any conspiracy against CM Arvind Kejriwal, he has been sent to jail by the court. Respect the court. I ask BJP leaders from the Prime Minister to every BJP leader when the trial court granted bail to Arvind Kejriwal, why did you have a stomach ache and why did you get a stay on bail from the High Court? When will the BJP respect the court? The trial court ruled that there is no evidence against the Delhi CM. Even after this, why did the Enforcement Directorate (ED) rush to the High Court on the orders of its master? The BJP was not satisfied even with this. When an appeal was made in the Supreme Court against the stay on bail from the High Court the hearing was to be held on June 26. But a day before, at night, the BJP sent the CBI and got Arvind Kejriwal arrested.
The AAP Delhi State Convenor stated that CM Arvind Kejriwal was arrested only so that he does not get bail and does not come out of jail. The BJP is afraid that if Arvind Kejriwal comes out of jail, he will get the work of the people done quickly. BJP may try a million times, but one day Arvind Kejriwal will come out of jail and work for the people. “Modi ji, because of this dictatorship, the people of the country did not give even 250 seats to BJP instead of 400. The people of the country thought that the thinking of the Modi government, which is dependent on crutches, would also change, it would respect the mandate, but this did not happen. The way the decision of the trial court was stayed and Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by CBI, it is clear that the Modi government is not going to back down from dictatorship. If BJP is adamant on imposing dictatorship in the country, then we are also adamant on fighting against dictatorship,” he affirmed.
*BJP has conspired to keep Arvind Kejriwal in jail, people will not forgive them: Imran Hussain
Cabinet Minister Imran Hussain said that CM Arvind Kejriwal has raised his voice for every section of the country. ED’s trial court had granted bail to CM Arvind Kejriwal. The court’s 25-page order clearly stated that he is innocent. But even before the order came, ED went to the High Court and illegally stayed his bail. The BJP and PM Modi cannot compete with CM Arvind Kejriwal’s work, so they conspired and put him in jail. If PM Modi has the courage, then he should compete with Arvind Kejriwal’s work, and not resort to the ED and CBI. Show by building schools, mohalla clinics and hospitals like him. Make electricity, water and bus travel free for the people. But if he conspired like this and kept Arvind Kejriwal in jail, then the people of the country and Delhi will never forgive him. PM Modi had given the slogan of crossing 400 but the people of the country brought him down to 240. If this dictatorship continues then the day is not far when the public will bring them down to zero.
*Arvind Kejriwal has given a new direction to the country’s politics: Pankaj Gupta
AAP National Secretary Pankaj Gupta said that the whole country has seen how democracy and the Constitution have been strangled for the last few years. A week ago, the trial court granted bail to Arvind Kejriwal, saying that the ED has no evidence against him. However, the ED did not listen to the court and went to the High Court and got a stay even before the written order came. This has never happened before in the history of the judiciary. Therefore, the thing to think about is what reason PM Modi has for keeping Arvind Kejriwal behind bars in any way. He is afraid of CM Arvind Kejriwal.
The AAP National Secretary mentioned that Arvind Kejriwal has given a new direction to the country’s politics. He conveyed to the entire country that until the needs of common people for electricity, water, education and health are fulfilled, we cannot call our country a developed country. He provided free electricity and water to every household in Delhi. He opened world-class schools for the better education of poor children. Today, when the whole country wants to follow that example, PM Modi is scared that if people start walking on this path, what will happen to him and the BJP? No matter how much conspiracy the BJP does, the work started by Arvind Kejriwal for the people is not going to stop. Whatever the BJP does, we will continue doing our work.
The public has brought a dictator to the support of crutches, our struggle will continue till he is removed from power: Rakhi Birla
Senior AAP leader and Deputy Speaker of Delhi Assembly Rakhi Birla said that our struggle to get the rights of the people standing in the last row started with the foundation of the AAP. The people of Delhi came out of their homes and removed those people from power who tried to usurp the rights and privileges of the people standing in the last row. Those who used to say that a lion walks alone, today he is forced to form his government at the centre with the support of 38 parties on crutches. The lion is the one who is behind the bars of the jail, yet these people tremble before him. This lion is Delhi’s son Arvind Kejriwal.
“Our brother, Delhi’s son Arvind Kejriwal is in jail only because of the dirty and deep conspiracy of the Modi government. We are not going to be scared. Many papers including NEET were leaked under the Modi government sitting in the centre. Lord Shri Ram’s temple is leaking, roofs of the airports collapsed, and people are losing their lives. Lakhs of people are committing suicide. But the Modi government will not investigate this. The people of the country have made a dictator a lame horse by bringing him on crutches, our struggle will continue till he is uprooted from power,” She affirmed.
Atishi participated in the protest despite ill health
Senior AAP leader and Cabinet Minister Atishi participated in the protest against the BJP despite ill health. Atishi sat on ‘Jal Satyagraha’ to ensure water rights for Delhiites. She sat on a hunger strike for four days and on the fifth day, her health deteriorated due to low blood sugar and BP and she had to be admitted to the hospital. Now she has returned home from the hospital, but the doctors have asked her to rest. Still, she participated in the party’s massive protest against the illegal arrest of CM Arvind Kejriwal.
Loud slogans against BJP and PM Modi
A large number of AAP workers and supporters participated in the protest organized against BJP demanding the release of CM Arvind Kejriwal and the misuse of ED-CBI. All the workers first gathered at the party headquarters. Here the senior leaders of the party addressed the workers. After this, they marched towards the BJP headquarters. During this, the workers raised loud slogans like ‘Arvind Kejriwal Zindabad’, ‘BJP down down’, ‘Modi Teri Tanashahi, Nahi Chalegi-Nahi Chalegi’ (Modi your dictatorship won’t work), ‘Stop the misuse of CBI-ED, Release Kejriwal’, Hum Ladenge aur Jeetenge’ (We will fight-we will win).
AAP workers took to the streets across the country against the misuse of ED-CBI
AAP demonstrated in all the assemblies in Punjab
Protests were held in different assemblies across Punjab against the illegal arrest of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. AAP MPs, ministers, MLAs and workers took to the streets in many places including Chandigarh, Sangrur, and Jalandhar and raised slogans against the dictatorship of the BJP government. A large number of women took to the streets in support of Arvind Kejriwal and demanded his release.
UP Police converted the AAP office into a cantonment
In Uttar Pradesh, AAP workers first gathered at the party office. After this, they marched towards the BJP office. During this, the workers raised slogans against the BJP for the illegal arrest of Arvind Kejriwal and the misuse of ED-CBI. At the same time, a large number of police forces were deployed outside the party office since morning to stop the AAP workers. The entire area was turned into a cantonment by barricading all around the office so that the workers could not reach the BJP office.
Protests by AAP workers at many places in Mumbai
AAP workers protested at many places in Mumbai including the party headquarters and Church Gate against the misuse of CBI by the BJP government at the centre. A large number of workers and supporters raised slogans of ‘BJP Hai-Hai’ with posters of ‘Release Kejriwal’ and ‘Stop misuse of ED-CBI’. During this, many workers who were marching in support of Arvind Kejriwal’s release were forcibly detained by the police.
When police stopped the protest in Gujarat, workers sat on ‘dharna’
AAP workers took to the streets in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, demanding the release of Arvind Kejriwal. Supporters carrying posters and pamphlets of ‘Stop misuse of ED-CBI’ raised slogans of ‘Release Kejriwal’. When the police stopped the protest, the workers sat on the road. During this, many workers were taken into custody by the police.
Police detained AAP workers in Telangana
A strong protest was held in Telangana against the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal by misusing the central investigation agencies. A large number of women and youth workers raised slogans with posters of ‘Release Kejriwal’ and ‘Modi Insults Delhi Vote Mandate’. During this, the police detained many workers.
AAP workers also aimed BJP in Karnataka-Kerala, Jammu-Kashmir
AAP supporters also protested attacking the BJP in Karnataka, Kerala and Jammu-Kashmir. The workers protested fiercely against the BJP government at the centre and ED CBI. The supporters opposed BJP’s political vendetta by demanding the release of Arvind Kejriwal. During this, the workers raised slogans of ‘Stop atrocities, release Kejriwal’.
