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New Delhi: On March 21, 2024, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate amid allegations of corruption and money laundering related to the Delhi government’s excise policy. This development has sparked a wave of protest among AAP supporters and the party leadership is being accused of political vendetta. The incident has not only raised concerns about the use of law enforcement as a political tool, but has also affected the preparations of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for the Lok Sabha elections 2024.
The arrest is the result of an investigation into Delhi’s excise policy, in which Kejriwal has been accused of taking bribes from liquor contractors. This has led to several arrests within the AAP leadership, highlighting a significant crackdown on the party. The Enforcement Directorate’s actions have been criticized by opposition parties as an attempt to suppress democratic competition ahead of crucial national elections.
As Aam Aadmi Party workers are holding a massive protest, Section 144 or prohibitory orders has been imposed outside the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office in the national capital. The AAP held a protest at the ITO in the national capital against CM Kejriwal’s arrest by ED in the excise policy case.
Punjab ministers Harjot Bains and Balveer Singh have also been detained by Delhi Police amid the Aam Aadmi Party’s protest over arrest of Arvind Kejriwal. The AAP supporters also raised slogans against the BJP-led Centre government. The police have erected barricades on the Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg — where the headquarters of both the parties are located — and blocked it for traffic.
As the dust settles on this dramatic turn of events, the full impact of Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest on the political landscape and the future of AAP remains to be seen. The incident has not only exposed the volatile nature of Indian politics but also underlined the challenges facing the country’s democracy. With Lok Sabha elections 2024 around the corner, all eyes will be on how these developments will impact voter sentiments and the overall democratic process in India.
