The Opposition’s INDIA bloc received permission from the Election Commission and police to organise a rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on March 31 against the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Arvind Kejriwal was arrested in connection with a money laundering case linked to the Delhi excise policy ‘scam’.
Sources in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) named some of the leaders who are likely to attend the rally. The names included:
1. Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge
2. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi
3. NCP leader Sharad Pawar
4. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray
5. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray
5. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut
6. Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav
7. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Tejashwi Yadav
8. Trinamool Congress (TMC) Derek O’Brien
9. DMK leader Tiruchi Siva
10. National Conference (NC) Farooq Abdullah
11. Jharkhand Chief Minister and JMM leader Champai Soren
12. JMM leader Kalpana Soren
13. CPI(M) Sitaram Yechury
14. CPI D Raja
15. Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation leader Dipankar Bhattacharya
16. All India Forward Bloc leader G Devarajan
17. Punjab Chief Minister and AAP leader Bhagwant Mann
Arvind Kejriwal arrested
Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi and AAP’s national convenor, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). A local court has remanded Kejriwal in the Enforcement Directorate’s custody till April 1.
Several Opposition leaders have been protesting against his arrest. They also accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is in power at the Centre, of “misusing” central probe agencies ahead of Lok Sabha elections 2024.
Kejriwal ko Aashirwaad
The chief minister’s wife, Sunita Kejriwal, issued a video statement on Friday to launch a WhatsApp campaign titled ‘Kejriwal ko Aashirwaad’.
“We are starting a drive from today – Kejriwal ko aashirvaad. You can send your blessings and prayers to Kejriwal on this number. You can also send whatever message you want,” Sunita Kejriwal said
“Kejriwal has put his stand in court, he is a true patriot. Patriotism is in his veins. Arvind has challenged the most powerful forces in the country, will you not support your brother in this fight,” she added.