New Delhi: A massive wave of protests swept across India on Tuesday as the India Alliance rallied against the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Demonstrations were held at Jantar Mantar in Delhi and in 19 states, including Punjab, Bihar, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, and Telangana. The protests were ignited by allegations from Kejriwal’s wife, Sunita Kejriwal, who claimed that there is a threat to her husband’s life, and that his arrest was based on a false statement by an NDA MP.
Sunita Kejriwal expressed concerns over the CM’s health, alleging that his blood sugar levels had dropped dangerously low 34 times between June 3 and July 7. She accused the BJP of conspiring to harm Kejriwal, adding that the Delhi Lieutenant Governor’s assertion that Kejriwal was deliberately not taking insulin was unfounded. “They want to stop the work of Delhi by arresting Arvind Kejriwal as part of a conspiracy,” she stated.
Prominent opposition leaders joined the protests, showing solidarity with Kejriwal and condemning the government’s actions. Congress’s deputy leader in the Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, attended the protest, stating that Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi had instructed him to support the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) against the alleged injustice. Gogoi criticized the Modi government, accusing it of cowardice and using the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to target political opponents.
Congress Rajya Sabha MP Pramod Tiwari also voiced his disapproval, suggesting that the BJP was terrified of Kejriwal’s influence. “They are so afraid of him that they want CM Kejriwal not to come out of jail,” Tiwari said, describing the arrest as unconstitutional and orchestrated by the central government.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharad Pawar emphasized Kejriwal’s democratic mandate, noting that he has been elected Chief Minister of Delhi three times. Pawar accused the BJP of undermining democracy, stating, “His rule in Delhi has set an example for the entire country. The public has given them a lot of love. Troubled by this, Narendra Modi and the BJP government conspired by attacking democracy.”
CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury echoed similar sentiments, accusing the BJP of torturing Kejriwal in jail. “After seeing Arvind Kejriwal getting bail from the ED, the central government got him arrested by the CBI. Today he is in jail and his health is deteriorating there,” Yechury said, condemning the government for what he described as wrongful detention and torture.
The protest at Jantar Mantar saw a diverse coalition of political leaders, including AAP’s Raghav Chadha, Sanjay Singh, and Gopal Rai, as well as Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. Leaders from other parties, such as CPI(M)’s Sitaram Yechury, NCP’s Sharad Pawar, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, RJD’s Manoj Jha, and Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Sanjay Raut, also joined in, demonstrating a united front against the government’s actions.
The situation continues to develop as political tensions rise over Kejriwal’s arrest and the broader implications for Indian democracy.
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