New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday stepped up the anti-BJP tirade organising 'Samuhik Upwas' or a collective fasting to register is protest against the arrest of party chief and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in the excise policy scam.
Delhi Minister Atishi, who attended the event, alleged that the central agencies are acting like political weapons of the BJP.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and several AAP ministers and MLAs gathered at Khatkar Kalan in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district for a day-long fast to protest the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had given the call for a nationwide collective fast to protest the arrest of the Delhi Chief Minster. Atishi alleged that the money trail in this liquor policy scam has been done from liquor trader Sharat Reddy to the BJP.
"People of Delhi love Arvind Kejriwal. They don't think of him as a CM but as their son, or brother. All want the bail for Arvind Kejriwal. BJP's ED and CBI haven't been able to show a single penny of liquor scam from the leaders of AAP. If there is any money trail in this issue, it's from liquor trader Sharat Reddy to the BJP," the AAP leader said. The AAP leader further questioned the central probe agency to reveal details regarding the action taken against leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in connection with alleged money laundering cases. "Sharat Reddy donated 55 crores to the BJP... Why the BJP has not been raided, or accused, why has the BJP's National President not been summoned or arrested? ED, CBI act as political weapons of BJP", Atishi said.
Ministers Bram Shanker Jimpa, Laljit Singh Bhullar, Anmol Gagan Mann, Gurmeet Singh Khudian, Punjab Vidhan Sabha speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan, AAP candidate from Anandpur Sahib seat Malvinder Singh Kang, party candidate from Fatehgarh Sahib Gurpreet Singh GP and AAP's state unit working president Bhudh Ram were present at the venue.
Some AAP volunteers were seen carrying pictures of Kejriwal behind bars. Earlier, senior AAP leader Gopal Rai gave details of the event which, he said, is aimed at showing solidarity for the party chief. The day's itinerary would include a congregation of supporters at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar and Khatkar Kalan in Punjab, the ancestral village of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, where AAP leaders and party workers would observe mass fast.
The security has been intensified along the roads leading to the protest site as a precautionary measures. Traffic may also be hit in parts of central Delhi due to heavy barricading.
Rai also requested those opposed to Kejriwal's arrest and “who want to save the country's democracy” to participate in collective fasts across various locations. These locations can be homes, villages, neighbourhoods, block headquarters, tehsils, districts, and state capitals, he said. The minister also urged people to collectively pray or listen to the devotional song "Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram" on YouTube, expressing solidarity with Kejriwal.
"Let's sing it collectively. Together, we will pray for Kejriwal ji to receive strength and fight against tyranny while he is in jail. We can fight to bring the truth to light," he added. The AAP also urged people holding fast to protest Kejriwal’s arrest to send pictures to the website kejriwalkoaashirvaad.com.
AAP is at loggerheads with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has upped ante for Kejriwal's resignation as Delhi chief minister. The Enforcement Directorate also opposed the plea moved by Kejriwal before a city court for more time with his lawyer, saying special privileges cannot be extended to him merely because he wants to run the government from inside the jail.(With agency inputs)
