New Delhi, 30 July

INDIA bloc leaders gathered at Jantar Mantar here on Tuesday to demand the release of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal amid his declining health and hit out at the BJP-led Centre for "suppressing" the voice of Opposition. They also blamed the Central government for the deaths of three civil services aspirants at a flooded basement of a coaching centre in Old Rajinder Nagar here.

Slogans of "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" and "End dictatorship" were raised during the protest. CPI(ML) Liberation leader Dipankar Bhattacharya said three senior leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) -- Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain were put in jail as "part of a conspiracy". "The Modi government is responsible for the anarchy in Delhi. This anarchy took the lives of the three UPSC aspirants in Rajinder Nagar. BJP took the lives of three UPSC aspirants," Bhattacharya said during the rally.

"They tried to end AAP, weaken Delhi government as part of a conspiracy. The elected chief minister is in jail. Umar Khalid and many activists are in jail in false charges in Delhi riots. Bhima Koregaon fake case, father Stan Swamy was in jail and he even died while in custody. There is a huge conspiracy against leaders, activists,” he said.

The BJP-led Centre is “trying to suppress the voice of those who oppose them,” he said. “However, the recent mandate has proved that people won't tolerate tyranny. We will ensure justice. Assembly elections are due in Haryana, Maharastha and Jharkhand and people should give a befitting reply to BJP and defeat BJP. This is needed," he added.

AAP Delhi state convener Gopal Rai said Kejriwal's sugar levels are going down in custody. "He was granted bail by trial court and Supreme Court but a conspiracy was hatched to keep him in jail. Why does BJP want to put opposition leaders in jail? Who is responsible for the deaths of the three UPSC aspirants?” Rai said.

"When LG is being asked about the incident, he is quiet. The BJP, which is demanding Kejriwal's resignation, snatched away the powers of the Delhi government. They want rights but run away when they are held accountable," he charged.

Nationalist Congress Party – Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) chief Sharad Pawar and Deputy Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi are also present in the INDIA bloc rally. Congress Rajya Sabha MP Pramod Tiwari referred to Kejriwal's wife Sunita as a "symbol of resistance" as he began his address. "We have come to give complete moral support to AAP and Kejriwal on behalf of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, and party leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the struggle against illegal arrest of Arvind Kejriwal. The arrest of Kejriwal in an illegal and unconstitutional manner indicate nothing but the bad intentions of the BJP," he alleged.

Tiwari said it was "height" of inhumanity to keep Kejriwal in jail despite his medical reports showing dip in his blood sugar to a dangerous level. The Congress and AAP had fought the recent Lok Sabha elections in Delhi in alliance. AAP had fielded candidates on four seats and Congress on three seats. However, the alliance drew a blank.

Gogoi warned the BJP and its leaders saying they cannot scare the opposition whether it is AAP, Congress or any other party. "Their illusion lies shattered with this rally. If fair Lok Sabha elections had been held in 2024, the BJP would have been in opposition and we would have been in power. The BJP-led government is not going to complete its five-year term," he stressed.

Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case linked to the alleged excise policy scam and has been granted bail by the Supreme Court. However, he is currently lodged in Tihar in a connected CBI case.