INDIA bloc to hold ‘maha rally’ in Delhi on March 31
NEW DELHI: Sending a message of solidarity with the arrested Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the Opposition INDIA bloc will hold a “maha rally” at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on March 31 to safeguard the country’s interests and democracy and to protest the arrest of AAP supremo.
Making the announcement here on Sunday, Delhi minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Gopal Rai said: “Democracy and the country are in danger, All the INDIA-bloc parties will hold this ‘maha rally’ to safeguard the country’s interests and democracy.’’
The announcement came after AAP supremo and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday from his official residence in connection with an excise policy-linked money-laundering case. A court on Friday sent the AAP national convenor to the federal agency’s custody till March 28. Gopal Rai said the top leadership of the INDIA bloc will participate in the rally. He claimed that Kejriwal’s arrest has angered people who respect the Constitution.
“It is not only about Arvind Kejriwal. The entire Opposition is being threatened. Either they use money to buy people or scare them by using the ED and the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation). If someone refuses to bow, they get them arrested under false cases,” Rai alleged.
The Delhi minister cited the arrest of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and alleged that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and RJD leader Tejaswi Yadav are also being targeted.
Soren’s Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, the Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress and the RJD are all members of the Opposition INDIA bloc.
“All INDIA bloc leaders are being framed in false cases. They turned Delhi into a fortress. Elected MLAs, ministers were detained when they were protesting. Kejriwal’s family was placed under house arrest. They sealed our party office,’’ Rai alleged.
He further said the ruling BJP is claiming that Opposition leaders are being arrested because they are involved in corruption but no money trail has been found in the excise policy case, the investigation into which has been going on for two years.