NEW DELHI: AAP and Congress rally against alleged conspiracy to harm Delhi CM Kejriwal’s health in jail, highlighting political tensions.
Once again, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress are uniting to demonstrate their strength regarding the health of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal behind bars. Earlier this week, AAP announced that the I.N.D.I.A. bloc would stage a rally at Jantar Mantar on Tuesday, July 30, 2024, against an alleged conspiracy to harm Kejriwal’s health in Tihar jail. However, it remains unclear who from Congress will join the protest.
Sources told The Sunday Guardian that earlier this week, AAP Rajya Sabha MPs Sanjay Singh and Raghav Chadha raised the issue of Kejriwal’s deteriorating health at an I.N.D.I.A. bloc meeting. Following this, Singh announced that a protest would be organised over the issue. This latest opposition demonstration highlights the broader issue of the mistreatment of an elected Chief Minister through the misuse of central investigation agencies by the BJP-led central government.
Providing more details, AAP National General Secretary (Organisation) Dr. Sandeep Pathak announced that a protest will be held at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on July 30 on behalf of the I.N.D.I.A. alliance. “The leaders of all the constituent parties of the I.N.D.I.A. alliance have agreed to this protest. My appeal to the people of the country is to support the nation, regardless of your political affiliations. If you believe in the country’s fairness and systems, you must raise your voice. Otherwise, it will be too late, and once it is too late, there will be no system or solution left to change the situation.”
Pathak criticised the BJP-led central government, stating that dictatorial rulers are known for imprisoning individuals due to political animosity. He claimed that Arvind Kejriwal is now a political prisoner and that efforts are being made to intimidate him, but he remains unafraid. According to Pathak, the issue is not about AAP or Arvind Kejriwal alone, but about saving the country from a dictator’s rule.
Pathak emphasised that this issue extends beyond any single person or party and concerns the entire system of the country. He questioned why anyone would enter politics, form a political party, or fight against a powerful nexus if such political tactics continue. “Today, this is not about Arvind Kejriwal or AAP; it’s about the country’s system and stopping the dictatorship of a tyrant. All the constituent parties of the I.N.D.I.A. alliance agree that this is not an issue of one party or individual but of the nation. The country cannot be left to be ruined by the will of a single person,” he said.
However, a senior Congress leader mentioned that the party will decide how to participate in the protest. “AAP has initiated the protest, and we are likely to join. But who will represent our party will be decided in due course. AAP has invited all I.N.D.I.A. bloc parties, but whether our participation will be wholehearted or symbolic is yet to be determined. No decision has been made so far,” said the leader. A senior Delhi Congress leader added that the central leadership’s decision is “limited to the national stage” and will not affect the party’s decision to contest the Delhi Assembly elections alone early next year.
“Whether or not the party joins the protest is irrelevant; we have already announced that we will contest all 70 segments in the Delhi Assembly elections independently and remain firm on that stand,” the leader said.
AAP has alleged that Kejriwal’s sugar levels have dropped below 50 on 34 occasions since he was imprisoned on March 23 after being arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in the excise policy case, posing a danger to his long-term health. The party claims that insulin doses meant for Kejriwal are deliberately being withheld as part of a “conspiracy” to harm him.