The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday staged a protest rally in Delhi against the BJP-led government at the Centre over the arrest of its Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The senior AAP leader was arrested by ED sleuths following a marathon interrogation in connection with the case on Wednesday.
Hundreds of thousands of AAP workers marching towards BJP headquarters demanding the release of Singh with placards in their hands were stopped midway by the police.
The AAP workers were joined by senior party leaders, including Gopal Rai and party MLAs.
“The (Narendra) Modi government, fearing a defeat in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections at the hands of the INDIA alliance, hastily arrested Sanjay Singh without any proof. Just like in the case of Manish Sisodia, the ED drew a blank from the raids it conducted against Sanjay Singh. Yet he was arrested ostensibly on the orders from the higher-ups,” he said.
Rai, Delhi’s Environment Minister, said, “The motive behind the action is to create an atmosphere of fear in the country to ward off criticism against the government. The message is clear if anyone speaks against the Modi Government, he/she will be silenced by the ED, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the police.”
Taking a swipe at the BJP Government, the minister said, “AAP will fight against the authoritarian rule of the BJP and will keep raising our voices for the protection of Indian democracy and the constitution.”
Echoing similar sentiments, senior AAP leader and MLA Dilip Panday said, “The entire country is watching, the BJP has launched its two star campaigners, the ED and the CBI for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.”
Meanwhile, to counter the AAP, Delhi BJP leaders, including MPs and MLAs, reached Raj Ghat and paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi.
They were seen holding placards against the Arvind Kejriwal-led government in Delhi.
“Prayed at Rajghat for liberating the people from the ‘misrule’ of the corrupt Arvind Kejriwal Government,” BJP MP Parvesh Sahib Singh later wrote on X.
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said, “The public now knows that Arvind Kejriwal is the real ‘mastermind’ of liquor scam.”