Arvind Kejriwal arrest: Aam Aadmi Party leaders will sit on a hunger strike at Jantar Mantar on April 7 against the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, said party leader Gopal Rai on Wednesday. During a press conference, Rai, who serves as a cabinet minister in the Kejriwal government, called for a nationwide fast in solidarity with the arrest of the party's national convener.
It is pertinent to mention that the AAP national convener was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21 in connection with a money laundering case related to the excise policy. He has been sent to judicial custody till April 15.
Fast on April 7
"If you are against the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister, you can fast against it on April 7. You can hold the collective fast anywhere -- at home, in your city, anywhere," he said.
Rai said that the top leadership of the party was arrested with an "aim to finish AAP." "On April 7, Delhi government ministers, AAP MPs, MLAs, councillors and office-bearers will hold a fast at Jantar Mantar. This will be an open event and student organisations, farmer bodies, traders can come and participate in it," he said.
Delhi excise policy scam
The case pertains to the alleged corruption and money laundering in formulating and executing the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22 which was later scrapped. The case originated from a report presented by Delhi Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar to Lieutenant Governor (LG) Vinai Kumar Saxena in July 2022, highlighting purported procedural deficiencies in the development of the policy. The report said "arbitrary and unilateral decisions" taken by AAP leader Manish Sisodia in his capacity as Excise Minister had resulted in "financial losses to the exchequer" estimated at more than Rs 580 crore.
Kejriwal's name has been mentioned multiple times in the charge sheets filed by the ED in the excise policy case. The agency has alleged that the accused were in touch with Kejriwal for formulating the excise policy that resulted in undue benefits for them in return for which they paid kickbacks to the Aam Aadmi Party.
(With PTI Inputs)
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