I.N.D.I.A. bloc to hold rally in Delhi on March 31 over Kejriwal's arrest

New Delhi: Opposition I.N.D.I.A. bloc will hold a rally at the iconic Ramlila Maidan in the national capital on March 31 to protest against the “illegal” arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, which will also sound the bugle for the joint campaign of Congress and AAP for the Lok Sabha elections.

This will be the joint action by the bloc in less than ten days in connection with Kejriwal’s arrest, the first being top leaders rushing to the Election Commission (EC) to register their protest and seek a level playing field for the Opposition in the general elections. It also saw warring partners in West Bengal like Congress and Trinamool Congress joining hands.

The proposal to hold a joint rally was mooted on March 22, a day after Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the money laundering case linked to Delhi excise policy. No decision was taken on that day when the leaders went to the EC but state leaders were tasked to work out the possibility and logistics for such a protest.

Announcing the protest programme at a joint press conference, AAP Delhi chief and Minister Gopal Rai said the national capital has now become like a “military cantonment”. He added, “those in the Opposition who are unwilling to bend are arrested in fake cases. Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren was arrested. Now Kejriwal has been taken into custody.”

Rai claimed that it will not just be Kejriwal but the aim is to finish the whole Opposition by “misusing” central agencies and through “instilling fear and threats”, they are trying to break it. He said all senior leaders of the coalition would attend the rally.

Delhi Congress president Arvind Singh Lovely said there was no question of his party taking a step back in this fight to save democracy. “This is not just a question of AAP or Congress or I.N.D.I.A. bloc. It is a question about the survival of democracy,” he said.

CPI(M) Delhi Secretariat member Rajeev Kunwar said the arrest of Kejriwal is an attack on democracy and it came after the details of donations through electoral bonds were publicised. Rai said it had come to light one of the approvers in the liquor policy case got bail after paying through bonds to the BJP.

Asked whether they are confident of getting permission to hold the rally, Rai said they will seek permission and if it is denied, they will decide on the future course of action. “The way Delhi is sealed after Kejriwal’s arrest, the Prime Minister can do that also,” he said.

Lovely added, “it is unfortunate that such a question arises. That is the situation in the country. There are doubts that the major Opposition bloc may not get permission. That is the state of democracy in the country.”