‘Loktantra Bachao’ (Save Democracy) rally will be held at Ramlila Maidan (File)
New Delhi:
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will hold a mega rally in Delhi today to protest against the arrest of its national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
The ‘Loktantra Bachao’ (Save Democracy) rally will be held at Ramlila Maidan and is being seen as a show of strength and unity by the INDIA bloc ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
Some of the senior leaders in attendance will be Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, senior party leader Rahul Gandhi, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) supremo Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti and Trinamool Congress’ Derek O’Brien.
Mr Kejriwal is currently in the Enforcement Directorate custody in connection with a money-laundering case.
Here are the live updates on AAP’s mega rally in Delhi:
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She will also read out a message from her husband who is in the Enforcement Directorate custody in connection with a money-laundering case, sources said.
Ahead of AAP’s mega rally today, Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said that there is anger among people against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest.
“The people did not like that a chief minister has been jailed,” he told the news agency ANI.
#WATCH | Delhi: On the INDIA bloc’s rally at Ramlila Maidan today, AAP Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj says, “We went to the streets of Delhi and we saw that there is anger among the people against Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest. The people did not like that a CM is jailed. At the Ramlila… pic.twitter.com/l9yTEQ7oQY
– ANI (@ANI) March 31, 2024
He also said that the AAP rally, which will be attended by the INDIA bloc members, will be a “huge challenge” for the BJP.
The Delhi Police is on alert and has made elaborate arrangements with checking at every gate and deployment of paramilitary personnel in and around the Ramlila Maidan for AAP-led INDIA bloc’s mega rally.
The Delhi Police has allowed the rally to take place with certain conditions, including no march, no tractor trollies, and no weapons in central Delhi.
#WATCH | Delhi: Preparations underway at Ramlila Maidan, for INDIA bloc’s ‘maharally’ to protest against Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest. pic.twitter.com/AukApBQnsl
– ANI (@ANI) March 31, 2024
The administration has allowed 20,000 people to come for the rally, but police expects it to exceed 30,000.
The AAP claims the gathering may reach up to one lakh, which is the full capacity of Ramlila Maidan.
Seven gates have been prepared for entry and exit at the Ramlila Maidan, and every visitor will be checked with door frame metal detectors and hand-held machines at the entry gates.
According to the Delhi Police’s traffic advisory, movement will be regulated and may be restricted on the Ranjeet Singh Flyover from Barakhamba Road to Guru Nanak Chowk, Vivekanand Marg from Minto Road to roundabout Kamla Market, Hamdard Chowk, JLN Marg from Delhi Gate to Guru Nanak Chowk and Ajmeri Gate, roundabout Kamla Market to Guru Nanak Chowk and Chaman Lal Marg near VIP Gate, Guru Nanak Chowk to Turkman Gate from 9 am to 3 pm.
Traffic diversion may also be imposed on Rajghat Chowk, Minto Road, DDU Marg, Mirdard Chowk, Paharganj Chowk, A-Point, and Delhi Gate from 9 am onwards.
Traffic Advisory
In view of a political rally at Ramlila Maidan on March 31, 2024, traffic will be affected.
Kindly follow the traffic advisory. #DPTrafficAdvisorypic.twitter.com/UBozpP2wVA
– Delhi Traffic Police (@dtptraffic) March 30, 2024
People going towards ISBT, railway station or airport have been advised to plan their travel with sufficient time at hand.
Several senior INDIA bloc leaders will attend the rally which is being held days after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money-laundering case.
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and former party president Rahul Gandhi will attend the “loktantra bachao” rally. Former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi may also participate in the rally.
Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, Rashtriya Janata Dal’s Tejashwi Yadav, Nationalist Congress Party – Sharadchandra Pawar president Sharad Pawar, and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray will also attend the mega rally.
#WATCH | Delhi: INDIA alliance to hold rally against the arrest of Delhi CM and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal, at Ramlila Maidan from 11 am today
(Visuals from the Ramlila Maidan) pic.twitter.com/D7MsbGaETy
– ANI (@ANI) March 31, 2024
Other prominent political leaders and members of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) like Trinamool Congress’ Derek O’Brien, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren of JMM, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI general secretary D Raja, and DMK’s Tiruchi Siva will also attend the rally.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, his cabinet ministers, and AAP MLAs will also participate in the rally.
Kalpana Soren, the wife of former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren, who is currently in jail, will also attend the rally. Ms Soren on Saturday met Mr Kejriwal’s wife Sunita Kejriwal at Delhi Chief Minister’s residence on 6 Flagstaff Road.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will today hold a mega rally in Delhi to protest against the arrest of its national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
The ‘Loktantra Bachao’ (Save Democracy) rally will be held at Ramlila Maidan.
