In a show of strength against the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in connection with a money laundering case linked to the Delhi excise policy scam and several other issues, the leaders of the INDIA bloc will hold a rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on Sunday.
Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21. He is in custody till April 1.
AAP Convener Arvind Kejriwal’s wife, Sunita Kejriwal, will also attend the INDIA Alliance rally at Ramlila Maidan.
Hoardings and posters of various leaders, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, have been set up at the Ramlila Maidan before the INDIA bloc ‘maha rally’ to protest against Kejriwal’s arrest.
On security arrangements for the INDIA Alliance Maha Rally, DCP Central M Harshvardhan said, “To maintain law and order and to ensure smooth traffic movement, elaborate arrangements have been made. The organisers of the rally have given an undertaking to adhere to some terms and conditions that are essential to maintaining law and order. The time for the rally is permitted until 2 p.m. We have made sufficient deployments. The gathering is expected to be 20,000 as given by the organiser in the undertaking.”
Speaking about the INDIA bloc’s rally, AAP MLA Durgesh Pathak said that they have gathered to convey the message that the country will run as per the Constitution and not by the ‘Vasooli gang’.
“The central agencies are being misused. Whoever speaks against them (government) or speaks of an alternative in the country is getting arrested in any fake case. The whole nation is gathered against this. They have gathered to tell that the country will run as per the Constitution and not by the ‘Vasooli gang,” the AAP leader said.
Punjab Minister and AAP leader Balbir Singh launched an attack BJP-led central government over the arrest of Kejriwal and said that corrupt people are joining the BJP and honest people are in jail.
“We want to abolish the dictatorship and save democracy and the Constitution. This is a Maha Rally by the INDI Alliance. All the leaders of the alliance will come and inform about the further strategy. 140 crore Indians are opposing it (Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest). The corrupt people are joining the BJP and honest people are in jail,” Singh said.
Earlier, criticising the INDIA bloc’s ‘Maha Rally’, Uttar Pradesh BJP President Bhupendra Chaudhary said, “These people are not unanimous on an ideological level and there are a lot of internal conflicts among them. Seat adjustment is still pending in many states. Congress is still unable to decide who will contest from Amethi and Raebareli. I am sure there are no possibilities for Congress in Uttar Pradesh…”
Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders Gopal Rai and Dilip Pandey on Saturday reviewed preparations for the ‘maha rally’.
Speaking on the preparations, AAP Minister Gopal Rai said that the leaders of INDIA Alliance will come from all over India to attend the ‘Maha Rally’ at the Ramlila Maidan on Sunday at 10 am. Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi from Congress, Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray will come from Maharashtra, Akhilesh Yadav from Uttar Pradesh, Tejashwi Yadav from Bihar, Derek O’ Brien from West Bengal, DMK MP, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, Jharkhand CM Champai Soren and Kalpana Soren will also join him, Farooq Abdullah will come, and leaders of left parties will join.