Tensions flared in both Jammu and Srinagar as scores of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers faced detainment while attempting to stage protests against the recent arrest of their party’s national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal.
In Jammu, over 50 AAP workers and leaders marched towards the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters in Trikuta Nagar, carrying party flags and raising slogans denouncing the BJP and the government. However, their attempts were thwarted by police intervention, resulting in the detention of several protestors midway.
AAP leader Surinder Singh Shringari, before being detained, condemned Kejriwal’s arrest, labeling it as an assault on democracy orchestrated by the BJP-led Centre. Shringari accused the ruling party of attempting to suppress opposition voices out of fear of electoral defeat, asserting that AAP stands in solidarity with Kejriwal and will continue to fight for justice.
Similarly, in Srinagar, AAP workers gathered near the Press Enclave to protest against Kejriwal’s arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Delhi. However, their march was swiftly dispersed by police, leading to the detention of several demonstrators.
Surinder Singh Shingari, echoing sentiments expressed in Jammu, criticized Kejriwal’s arrest as a violation of democratic norms, asserting that AAP represents an ideology that cannot be silenced by arbitrary arrests.
He defiantly stated that despite the crackdown, AAP will persevere in its fight for democracy.
The arrest of Kejriwal by the ED stems from allegations of money laundering linked to irregularities in the scrapped Delhi excise policy 2021-22. However, AAP members view it as a politically motivated move to stifle dissent and undermine democratic principles.