New Delhi: The political landscape in Delhi erupted in chaos as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday evening, just ahead of the looming Lok Sabha elections.
The move came shortly after the high court rejected granting Kejriwal protection from coercive action in a money-laundering case linked to an excise policy.
Alleging a massive conspiracy orchestrated by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) lambasted the ruling party for resorting to extreme measures to suppress Kejriwal. Delhi ministers Saurabh Bharadwaj, Atishi, and other AAP leaders and supporters gathered outside the chief minister’s residence, expressing solidarity.
Atishi told reporters, “This entire episode shows how scared Prime Minister Narendra Modi is of Kejriwal. He has hatched a conspiracy to send him to jail before the Lok Sabha election.”
She further accused the ED of becoming a “political tool” of the BJP, asserting, “Modi knows that if there is any alternative to him in the country, it is only Kejriwal. Delhi’s residents consider Kejriwal as their family member, and that is why Modi is scared.”
Amid slogans of “AAP zindabad” and “Arvind Kejriwal zindabad,” the AAP launched a fierce defence on social media platforms, rallying support under the hashtag #IstandWithKejriwal. The party accused the BJP of stooping to any level to undermine Kejriwal’s influence but affirmed that the
people of Delhi and the entire nation stand firmly behind him.
Bhagwant Mann, AAP leader and Punjab Chief Minister, emphasised, “The political team of the BJP (ED) cannot confine Kejriwal’s ideology because the AAP alone can stop the BJP. Ideology can never be suppressed.”
Security around Kejriwal’s residence was heightened with the deployment of Rapid Action Force (RAF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) units, and Delhi Police personnel. Amidst the commotion, Bharadwaj disclosed that the ED had conducted searches at Kejriwal’s residence, raising concerns over the CM’s safety and communication accessibility.
Raghav Chadha, AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP, denounced the alleged conspiracy to arrest Kejriwal just before the Lok Sabha elections. “You can arrest Kejriwal’s body but not Kejriwal’s thinking,” Chadha asserted, highlighting the chief minister’s widespread support.
Echoing similar sentiments, Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel expressed confidence that Kejriwal would continue to govern effectively, even if incarcerated. “Everyone is in agreement that the chief minister will run the government from inside the jail,” Goel affirmed.
In a bold declaration, Atishi proclaimed, “He will continue as the chief minister of Delhi. If need be, he will run the government from jail. There is no rule that stops him from running the government from jail.”
As tensions escalated outside Kejriwal’s residence, AAP leaders and supporters vowed to resist what they deemed a “political vendetta” orchestrated by the BJP. Durgesh Pathak, an AAP leader, dismissed the BJP’s strategy, asserting, “The BJP thinks if it gets Kejriwal arrested, it will be able to finish the AAP. It is highly mistaken.”
As the night wore on, the AAP intensified its legal battle, moving the Supreme Court to challenge Kejriwal’s arrest by the ED. The party sought an urgent hearing, aiming to quash what they perceive as an unjustifiable crackdown on their leader. The arrest of Arvind Kejriwal, a polarising figure in Indian politics, has ignited a fierce debate over the limits of state power and the integrity of democratic processes, casting a shadow over the upcoming elections.