AAP Protests Against Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s Arrest During President’s Address
New Delhi [India], June 27: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Members of Parliament (MPs) held a protest in Parliament against the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister (CM) and AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal. The protest took place ahead of President Droupadi Murmu’s address on Thursday.
The AAP MPs carried placards with messages like ‘Stop misusing ED and CBI’ and ‘Dictatorship will not work.’ AAP leader Sandeep Pathak announced that the party MPs would boycott the President’s address to the joint sitting of Parliament. This address marks the first presidential speech after the formation of the third National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.
Pathak stated, ‘The President and the Constitution are supreme, and when dictatorship is done in the name of justice, it is important to raise voices. Today we will protest in the Rajya Sabha against the arrest of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and we will boycott the President’s address.’
When asked about the participation of other parties in the INDIA bloc, Pathak mentioned that there had been no discussion with them regarding the protest.
Meanwhile, the Rouse Avenue Court of Delhi sent Kejriwal to three days of CBI remand in connection with the Excise policy case. Vacation Judge Amitabh Rawat allowed Kejriwal to be on CBI remand until June 29, 2024. During this period, Kejriwal’s wife, Sunita Kejriwal, is permitted to meet him for 30 minutes daily, and his lawyer can also meet him for 30 minutes each day. The court has allowed him to carry his prescribed medicines during the remand period.
During the hearing, Kejriwal addressed the court, stating, ‘CBI is claiming that I have made a statement against Manish Sisodia, which is completely false. Manish Sisodia is innocent, Aam Aadmi Party is innocent. I am also innocent. Statements are being given in the media to defame us.’
He added, ‘They are tarnishing our image in the media by using unnamed sources. They plan to make it headline news that Kejriwal has shifted all the blame to Manish Sisodia.’ However, the Court responded, ‘I have read your statement… you have not said this.’
The Delhi High Court on Tuesday stayed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s bail order passed by the trial court, stating that the trial court should have at least recorded its satisfaction with the fulfilment of twin conditions of Section 45 of the Prevention of the Money Laundering Act (PMLA) before passing the impugned order.
