The INDIA bloc staged a significant protest at Jantar Mantar, demanding the immediate release of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. This protest, uniting various political parties including AAP, Congress, SP, CPI, CPIML, Shiv Sena (Uddhav faction), CPM, and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), emerged as a robust critique of the Modi government’s handling of the Delhi CM’s arrest and health.
The demonstrators voiced strong objections to what they described as the illegal arrest and mistreatment of Kejriwal. They alleged that his arrest was part of a larger political conspiracy. The rally also saw simultaneous protests across several states, including Assam, Rajasthan, Karnataka, West Bengal, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Himachal Pradesh.
Sunita Kejriwal, the Chief Minister’s wife, highlighted the alleged dangers to her husband’s health. “Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been put in jail as part of a deep political conspiracy,” she asserted. Sunita claimed that Kejriwal’s arrest was based on a false statement made under duress and that subsequent legal manoeuvres aimed to keep him incarcerated.
She criticised the handling of Kejriwal’s diabetes, stating: “His sugar level remains continuously low; it has gone below 50 mg/dL five times while he was sleeping at night.”
Bhagwant Mann, Punjab CM and AAP leader spoke passionately about the political dynamics, accusing the BJP of arrogance and corruption. “The people of the country have shattered some of the BJP’s ego… its remaining ego will also be broken in the future,” he said. Mann also denounced the BJP’s alleged efforts to undermine Kejriwal and his governance.
AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh condemned the government’s actions, labelling them as dictatorial. “This is a cruel government. BJP can obstruct our release, but Arvind Kejriwal lives in the hearts of Delhiites,” Singh asserted. He criticised the judiciary’s handling of the bail process, describing it as a new low in legal history.
Congress leader Pramod Tiwari echoed similar sentiments, condemning the Modi government’s actions. “The BJP is so afraid of Arvind Kejriwal that it does not want to let him come out of jail in any way,” Tiwari stated. Gaurav Gogoi, another Congress leader, suggested that if the 2024 Lok Sabha elections had been fair, the BJP would have been in opposition.
Sharad Pawar, NCP chief, criticised the central government for what he described as a violation of democratic norms. “The BJP, furious with Arvind Kejriwal’s good governance, violated laws and put him and his leaders in jail,” Pawar remarked. He emphasised that Kejriwal’s arrest was unprecedented and unconstitutional.
Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav also weighed in, describing Kejriwal’s arrest as a politically motivated act. “In a democracy, the public is the most powerful. The BJP should understand this message that the public is against it,” he said.
Adding to the chorus of criticism, CPI (ML) leader Dipankar Bhattacharya accused the Modi government of imposing dictatorship and manipulating legal processes to destabilise opposition leaders. “The Modi government is targeting the opposition through agencies to eliminate it,” Bhattacharya said.
The protest was marked by emotional moments, including a tearful address by Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, who struggled to contain his emotions while speaking about Kejriwal. His tears were met with chants from the crowd denouncing the Modi government.
In response to the widespread demonstrations, AAP Delhi State Convenor Gopal Rai condemned the BJP’s actions as a direct attack on the democratic will of the people of Delhi. “The BJP is playing with the lives of Delhiites and CM Arvind Kejriwal,” Rai said, demanding the return of the Delhi government’s rights and Kejriwal’s immediate release.
Furthermore, public sentiment was also strongly supportive of the protest. Rajesh Kumar, a participant from Delhi, voiced his support for Kejriwal, stating: “Arvind Kejriwal has delivered on promises like free electricity and improving public services, something the BJP has failed to do. The real corruption lies with a government that thrives on division and hatred. We stand with Arvind Kejriwal because he stands with the people.” Another protester stated: “We’re here because we believe in justice. We are sure that Arvind Kejriwal has been wrongfully detained, and we demand his immediate release. They should at least care about his health.
This protest is not just about one man but about the fundamental rights of every citizen.”
, CPM, and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), emerged as a robust critique of the Modi government’s handling of the Delhi CM’s arrest and health.){kind=link}