Arvind Kejriwal’s wife Sunita to join INDIA bloc’s mega Delhi rally today
In a show of strength against the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, top leaders of the Opposition INDIA bloc, including National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah, are set to hold a ‘Loktantra Bachao’ rally in Delhi on Sunday.
The Chief Minister’s wife, Sunita Kejriwal, along with former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s wife, Kalpana Soren, were expected to speak at the rally.
Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21, in connection with an excise policy-linked money-laundering case. The Enforcement Directorate alleged that Kejriwal was one of the key conspirators in the liquor scam. According to the federal agency, the Delhi Chief Minister received several crores of rupees as a kickback from ‘South Group’ for formulating the Delhi excise policy and using that capital in the Goa and Punjab elections.
INDIA BLOC’s MEGA RALLY IN DELHI TODAY
The ‘Loktantra Bachao’ rally will begin at the Ramlila ground in the national capital and will see the participation of Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, party leader Rahul Gandhi, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, Bihar’s former Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, NC chief Farooq Abdullah, and others. Senior AAP leader Gopal Rai told news agency PTI that Sonia Gandhi would also attend the rally. Arvind Kejriwal’s wife Sunita Kejriwal was also likely to be in attendance.
The AAP has received permission from the authorities to hold the rally with more than 20,000 people. Meanwhile, party leader Atishi, while speaking to reporters, said the rally’s motive was to save the democracy.
Sources told India Today TV that two MPs from the Trinamool Congress were also likely to participate in the rally.
Earlier, the Delhi Pradesh Congress Community urged its workers to attend the INDIA alliance rally. Arvinder Singh Lovely, president, Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee had said, “District and block presidents of the DPCC have been asked to ensure the participation of a maximum number of Congress workers. The rally is to protest against the authoritarian manner in which the BJP government at the Centre has been harassing and suppressing the voice of the opposition parties.”
The Delhi Police said it has made elaborate arrangements with checking at every gate and deployment of paramilitary personnel in and around the venue. Police have allowed the rally to take place with certain conditions, including no march, no tractor-trollies, and no weapons in central Delhi.
Nearly a dozen companies of paramilitary personnel were deployed around the Ramlila Maidan and other parts of central Delhi, including DDU Marg. Additionally, Section 144 will remain imposed at the DDU Marg, where the offices of political parties are located. No march will be allowed from the Ramlila Maidan, a police official said, adding that strict action will be taken if any violations take place.
In a traffic advisory, the Delhi Police said that the movement of vehicles in the city would be regulated for six hours on Sunday. In an X post, the Delhi Traffic Police informed the locals of the diversions and routes to be avoided in the wake of the rally.
Gopal Rai visited the Ramlila Maidan to inspect the preparations. A video shared by PTI showed banners of INDIA bloc leaders at the Ramlila Maidan.
Punjab Minister and AAP leader Balbir Singh, commenting on the rally, said, “This is going to be a historic rally. The aim of it is to eradicate the dictatorship and save the democracy. The rally tomorrow will be so huge that all records will be broken.”
On Saturday, former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s wife Kalpana Soren met Sunita Kejriwal. In their meeting, which lasted nearly 20 minutes, the two expressed a mutual resolve to fight it out. Kalpana Soren will also participate in the Opposition’s mega rally today.