Kejriwal arrest: AAP protest call prompts heightened security arrangements

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has called for protests against “dictatorship” outside the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters at 10am on Friday as part of countrywide demonstrations a day after chief minister Arvind Kejriwal was arrested for his alleged role in the irregularities in the now-scrapped 2021-22 Delhi excise policy, prompting the deployment of additional police forces and barricading in the heart of the national capital.

“I appeal to the countrymen to protest outside BJP offices across the country against this dictatorship. We will gather at the AAP office [in Delhi] at 10am on Friday and then protest outside the BJP headquarters,” said Delhi minister Gopal Rai at a midnight press conference along with top AAP leaders.

Rai called Kejriwal’s arrest the “murder of democracy” and an “announcement of dictatorship”. He said if Kejriwal can be arrested, anyone can face such an action and their voice can be suppressed. “From today, the fight has begun. Kejriwal is not a person, but an ideology.”

He linked Kejriwal’s arrest to the formation of the Opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) and said the BJP feels it will restricted to 40 seats. He said this was the reason why the BJP was targeting opposition leaders. “Today, they have crossed all limits.”

AAP’s Rajya Sabha member Sandeep Pathak said the fight was no longer between the BJP and the AAP. “This is a fight between the country’s people and the BJP...and of those who want clean politics in the country.”

Delhi minister Atishi said Kejriwal’s fight will continue from the roads to the court. “The Supreme Court will hear the case on Friday. This arrest is unconstitutional. They arrested [former Jharkhand chief minister] Hemant Soren, and Kejriwal and froze the accounts of Congress.”

Kejriwal moved the Supreme Court challenging his arrest on Thursday night, seeking an urgent hearing.

Delhi Congress chief Arvinder Singh Lovely joined an AAP protest outside Kejriwal’s residence on Thursday. “They have arrested Soren, and Kejriwal, and froze our accounts. In what direction is the country’s democracy heading? We are standing with our INDIA bloc partner and will fight the elections strongly.”

Delhi Police have deployed additional forces in anti-riot gear and put up multi-layer barricading on roads leading to BJP headquarters ahead of AAP’s planned protest. They have asked commuters to avoid routes leading to central Delhi in anticipation of the protest as roads leading to the BJP headquarters and Enforcement Directorate (ED) office, where Kejriwal was taken after his arrest, have been shut.

AAP has asked all Delhi lawmakers and councillors to mobilise people at BJP headquarters and the party expects a large gathering.

The Delhi Police intensified checking at entry points into the Capital to prevent the AAP workers from entering the national Capital from neighbouring states even as gatherings have been barred outside BJP headquarters and ED office. News agency PTI reported buses have been deployed to detain these protestors.

Kejriwal was arrested on Thursday after ED questioned him at his residence hours after the Delhi high court turned down his plea for interim protection. The arrest weeks before the general elections came after he skipped nine summons ED issued to him.

The AAP said Kejriwal will continue as the chief minister and run the government from jail if needed. It has been preparing for his arrest for months and warned of its imminence.