NEW DELHI: The AAP on Saturday held a demonstration at Shaheedi Park in central Delhi against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal arrest by the ED in connection to alleged liquor policy scam and demanded his immediate release. The Congress, a constituent of the opposition-led INDIA bloc, joined it. Holding placards and raising slogans, AAP leaders alleged that the BJP-led central government misuses the agencies to target opposition leaders.
“When the country became independent in 1947, we got the right to vote and began electing leaders for the country ourselves. But today, the souls of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev must be agonizing to see that the democracy for which sacrifices were made is no longer alive in that country,” Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann who too participated said.
Friday, March 23, is also observed as ‘Shaheedi Diwas’ as on this day, the British government hung freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev.
“You can put Arvind Kejriwal in jail, but how will you capture his ideology? Today, there is anger across the country that the BJP wants to bring dictatorship to this country. The BJP believes that if their government is not formed in Delhi, they will not let the government function there, only the LG will run it.
"If the government is not formed in Punjab, they will trouble it through the Governor. If the government is not formed in Bengal and Kerala, the Governor will rule. If the government is not formed in Jharkhand, they will arrest CM Hemant Soren. If the government is not formed in Tamil Nadu, the Governor will not read the state government’s speech," he alleged.
Delhi Minister Atishi claimed that she faced several hurdles in reaching the protest site. “Today, the whole nation is watching the death of democracy that is happening. One by one attacks are happening on the opposition. First, the sitting CM Hemant Soren was arrested, and then Arvind Kejriwal was arrested, if one by one opposition leaders are put in jail, what is the meaning of the election? This is dictatorship...” Atishi said.
Senior Congress leader Haroon Yusuf joined the protest and said the INDIA Alliance stands together with full strength and determination to take on the BJP. “There is an attempt to strangle the country’s democracy. The alliance will fight against the arrests of chief ministers, first Hemant Soren and now Kejriwal.” Earlier in the day, security was beefed up amid a call by the AAP to gather at Shaheedi Park to protest.
BJP leaders pledge to fight against corruption
Delhi BJP leaders, including state unit president Virendra Sachdeva, on Saturday paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at the Rajghat here and pledged to fight against corruption. The BJP leaders sang “raghutapi raghav raja ram” at the Rajghat.“We, the BJP workers, take this oath that we will always raise our voice first against corruption and will always work against corruption,” they pledged. They targeted Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by alleging that he has looted the people of Delhi.
ED failed to establish money trail against any AAP leader: Atishi
The ED has not been able to establish a money trail against any AAP leader despite multiple raids, arrests and two year-long investigations in the alleged excise policy scam, Delhi Minister Atishi claimed on Saturday.The AAP leader also said the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday merely based on the statement of one Sharad P Reddy. Reddy, of Aurobindo Pharma, was arrested by the ED in November in connection with the excise policy case. He gave crores of rupees to the BJP through electoral bonds, she claimed.
