New Delhi, April 7: Top leaders of Aam Aadmi Party gathered at Jantar Mantar here on Sunday for a day-long fast to protest against the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister and the party's national convener Arvind Kejriwal.
Similar protests were being held in other states as well as by Indians abroad, including at Harvard Square in Boston, the Hollywood Sign in Los Angeles, outside the Indian Embassy in Washington DC, in New York Times Square and Toronto, London and Melbourne among others, party leaders said. Arvind Kejriwal’s Arrest: AAP Braces for Mass Fasting Today, Party Leaders to Sit on Hunger Strike at Jantar Mantar (Watch Video).
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann in AAP-ruled Punjab joined a collective fast at freedom fighter Bhagat Singh's village Khatkar Kalan, they said. Many senior AAP leaders, including Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel, Deputy Speaker Rakhi Bila, ministers Atishi, Gopal Rai and Imran Hussain attended the day-long 'Samuhik Upwas' at Jantar Mantar in the national capital from 11 am. Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann Pays Tribute to Bhagat Singh in Khatkar Kalan, to Hold Day-long Fast Against Arrest of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal (Watch Video).
AAP Leaders at Jantar Mantar:
अरविन्द केजरीवाल जी की नाजायज गिरफ्तारी के ख़िलाफ़ सामूहिक उपवास..🚫✊
तानाशाही के खिलाफ एकजुट हों..
हम जुल्म के सामने चुप रहने से इनकार करते हैं..
स्वतंत्रता, न्याय और लोकतंत्र बचाने के इस आंदोलन से जुड़े...#IstandwithKejriwal
#HungerStrike #EndDictatorship #StandForJustice… pic.twitter.com/quIE07QKPJ
— Jarnail Singh (@JarnailSinghAAP) April 7, 2024
AAP Leaders Hold Collective Fast:
Watch: AAP senior leaders, ministers, MLAs, councilors, workers, and supporters observe a collective fast 'samuhik upwaas' in protest against the arrest of CM Arvind Kejriwal at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. pic.twitter.com/Quxa2xY4jL
— IANS (@ians_india) April 7, 2024
Punjab CM Addresses Protest Rally:
VIDEO | Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann (@BhagwantMann) addresses a protest rally against Delhi CM and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest at Khatkar Kalan village in Punjab.
(Full video available on PTI Videos- https://t.co/QHM2Cl03vP) pic.twitter.com/vWQ1mYgqeC
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) April 7, 2024
The AAP's Delhi unit convener Gopal Rai appealed to people to join the fast to protest against Kejriwal's arrest. He alleged that Kejriwal's arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in a case linked to the Delhi excise policy-linked scam case was part of the BJP's conspiracy to finish the AAP. Kejriwal is in judicial custody till April 15.