Top leaders from the opposition INDIA bloc are set to hold a rally in Delhi on Sunday to show their support for arrested Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Opposition leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Sharad Pawar, and Uddhav Thackeray will attend the rally at Ramlila Maidan on Sunday, March 31.
The Election Commission of India and Delhi Police on Friday granted permission to INDIA leaders to hold this rally in the national capital on Sunday to protest the arrest of CM Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
This came a day after Arvind Kejriwal’s ED remand was extended by the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi after the central agency said it would further question Kejriwal and extract data from devices. Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party alleged that Kejriwal’s arrest was a “political conspiracy” by the Centre.
On Friday, Delhi CM’s wife Sunita Kejriwal launched a WhatsApp campaign called ‘Kejriwal ko Aashirwad’ to rally support for him and the party, urging people to send in their prayers, messages of support and any other communication through the messaging app.
After AAP got permission for the rally, senior party leader Gopal Rai posted on X, “All big leaders of the INDIA alliance partners are coming to Ramlila Maidan in Delhi on March 31. People of Delhi are also preparing to come. We have received the permission for the rally. So far, names of Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray, Akhilesh Yadav, Farooq Abdullah, Bhagwant Mann, Champai Soren, Tejashwi Yadav, Sitaram Yechury, Derek O’ Brien, Trichy Shiva, D Raja, Dipaknkar Bhattacharya, Kalpana Soren and G Devarajan have been confirmed.”
INDIA rally against Kejriwal’s arrest: 5 points
- The Election Commission granted permission to the INDIA bloc to organise a rally in Delhi’s Ramlila Ground on Sunday, March 31. Top INDIA leaders will attend the event and likely address the rally
- In its permission notice, the Delhi Police said that the programme will take place from 9.30am to 2pm on Sunday. AAP has announced the list of political leaders who have confirmed their presence at the rally.
- INDIA bloc leaders who will attend March 31 rally include Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Trichy Shiva, Derek O’Brian, Tejaswi Yadav, Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray, Sitaram Yechury, D Raja, Farooq Abdullah, Dipankar Bhattacharya, Champai Soren, G Devaraja, and Kalpana Soren.
- While it is not yet confirmed, it is expected that top AAP leaders like Atishi, Gopal Rai, Saurabh Bhardwaj and Arvind Kejriwal’s wife Sunita Kejriwal will attend the rally.
- Arvind Kejriwal is to remain in ED custody till April 1, after which he will be presented in court. The Delhi High Court will hear his plea seeking interim relief on April 3.
