Last Updated: March 31, 2024, 08:03 IST
Preparations underway at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi. (Image: ANI)
Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21, in connection to the money-laundering case linked to Delhi’s excise policy scam case
Days after the Enforcement Directorate arrested Delhi Chief Minister and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal, top leaders of the INDIA bloc, including Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, will participate in the opposition’s ‘Loktantra Bachao’ (save democracy) rally at Delhi’s historic Ramlila Maidan on Sunday. The Maharally is being seen as the Opposition’s show of strength and unity, in the backdrop of the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal on March 21 in connection with the excise policy-linked money-laundering case.
Apart from Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, the rally will also witness the participation of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav, Bihar’s former Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, Farooq Abdullah, among other leaders. In addition to this, Arvind Kejriwal’s wife Sunita Kejriwal is also likely to be in attendance.
INDIA Bloc’s ‘Loktantra Bachao’ Rally Today | Top Points
- In view of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, the INDIA bloc received consent from the Election Commission of India (ECI) and Delhi Police to hold a rally at Ramlila Maidan on Sunday (March 31) against the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
- The Delhi Police said it has made elaborate arrangements with checking at every gate and deployment of paramilitary personnel in and around the venue. However, the police have laid down certain conditions for the rally, including no march, no tractor-trollies and no weapons in central Delhi.
- AAP has received permission from the concerned authorities to hold a rally for an attendance of more than 20,000 people, AAP leader Gopal Rai informed news agency PTI.
- The Delhi Police in its notice stated that the event will happen on Sunday from 9.30 am to 2 pm.
- Kalpana Soren, spouse of ex-Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren, is also likely to attend the rally. Hemant Soren was arrested by the ED in January in an alleged land mining case.
- While AAP leaders have portrayed the rally as the Opposition’s protest against Kejriwal’s arrest, the Congress has said that it is not a ‘person-specific’ rally.
