RAIPUR: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Chhattisgarh will move the bail application and challenge the grounds of arrest and putting their twelve leaders in jail after they staged a protest for not being allowed to meet the PM Narendra Modi to submit their memorandum at the Raipur airport on June 14.
Among those who are imprisoned in Raipur Central Jail for the past ten days included the state party convener Sanket Thakur, the party candidate from Raipur (rural) seat, and six other candidates who would be contesting the Assembly elections due later this year.
Citing the arrest as "politically motivated", the AAP spokesperson Uchit Sharma alleged that the charges against their leaders were "false and fabricated" and their leaders are being harassed and treated like criminals in the jail.
The AAP leaders were arrested under Section 151 CrPC for holding demonstration following the denial of permission to submit their list of complaints to the prime minister during his visit and raising slogans against the Modi government. Later more charges were slapped on the arrested leaders under different offences as the police held them guilty of rioting (Section 147 IPC), obstructing public officers in discharge of their official duties (186 IPC) , assault or criminal force to deter public servant (Section 353) and cheating by personation (Section 419 IPC).
"We are contesting the malicious and repressive move against our leaders and challenge it in sessions court. The hearing on the case is scheduled on June 25. AAP leader and party's election management in-charge for Chhattisgarh Rakesh Sinha along with our MP Shri Sushil Kumar Gupta would be reaching Raipur in support of our cause", said Sharma.
The police claimed that the AAP leaders created chaos and ruckus at airport premises, raised slogans and held demonstration without authorisation. The AAP cadres are holding demonstrations seeking unconditional release of their leaders from jail as they alleged the state government is attempting to "drag them into needless controversy, defame and destroy AAP in Chhattisgarh like the Centre is doing to their party in Delhi".
The state unit of AAP has in recent months launched a state-wide political campaign to bring a change in Chhattisgarh and appealing the people to support their mission,"Badalbo Chhattisgarh" (Bring a change in Chhattisgarh). The party has already declared their candidates for 62 constituencies in the 90-member Chhattisgarh House and has kicked-off the poll campaign.