- Monday, May 20, 2024
The Aam Aadmi Party leader was granted a three-week interim bail by the Supreme Court of India and is expected to go all-out to campaign for his party and alliance in this time.
By: Shubham Ghosh
IT WAS a unique moment in the season of India’s general election 2024 as Arvind Kejriwal, one of the major opposition faces in the country’s politics, was released from jail on an interim bill granted by the Supreme Court of India.
The leader, who is the chief minister of the northern city-state of Delhi and heads the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), was released from Delhi’s high-profile prison Tihar after 50 days since he was arrested in a liquor policy scam. His release, albeit temporary, is expected to boost his party and the opposition bloc INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) in the middle of the marathon seven-phase election.
Soon after his release, the AAP’s national convener said he has been fighting dictatorship with all his might and exhorted all Indians to join him, adding that it would not be successful until they do so.
Read: Huge relief for India’s opposition AAP as Kejriwal gets interim bail
तानाशाही का अंत करने बब्बर शेर आ गया🔥#ModiCantStopKejriwal #SatyamevJayte pic.twitter.com/563xgbYWFE
— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) May 10, 2024
Kejriwal addressed a massive crowd of AAP supporters after his release where he thanked Lord Hanuman and also the judges of the Supreme Court for granting him bail. He also revealed his plan for Saturday (11), saying he would first visit a Hanuman temple in Delhi and speak at a press conference at the AAP office at 1 pm.
Read:
बब्बर शेर की दहाड़🔥
मैंने कहा था मैं जल्दी आऊंगा, आ गया।
सबसे पहले मैं हनुमान जी के चरणों में वंदना करना चाहता हूं, हनुमान जी के आशीर्वाद से आप सबके बीच हूँ
हम सबको मिलकर तानाशाही से देश को बचाना है, मैं तन मन धन से लड़ रहा हूं और तानाशाही से संघर्ष कर रहा हूं 140 करोड़ लोगों… pic.twitter.com/k074JFQT7J
— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) May 10, 2024
“Didn’t I say I would be back soon? Here I am. I would first like to thank Lord Hanuman, because of whose blessings I am among you today. I want to thank all of you, the crores of people across the country who sent me their wishes and their blessings. I also want to thank the judges of the Supreme Court. We have to work together to save the country from dictatorship. I have been fighting against dictatorship with all my might but 140 crore (1.4 billion) Indians have to fight too,” the 55-year-old said in Hindi.
Read: Despite the trouble, Arvind Kejriwal is India’s only opposition leader who can take on Modi’s BJP
“I will go to the Hanuman temple in Connaught Place tomorrow at 11 am to seek the lord’s blessings. I urge all of you to join me. There will be a press conference in the party office at 1 pm,” he added.
The top court has asked the AAP leader to surrender on June 2, a day after the election concludes and two days before the results are announced. Voting has taken place in more than half of India’s 543 parliamentary constituencies in three phases so far.
While granting him bail, the Supreme Court’s bench said that Kejriwal is an elected chief minister and does not pose any threat to society.
“Arvind Kejriwal is the Chief Minister of Delhi and a leader of one of the national parties. No doubt, serious accusations have been made, but he has not been convicted. He does not have any criminal antecedents. He is not a threat to society,” the court said.
The AAP supporters were seen celebrating their leader’s release by bursting crackers. His party’s leaders said his release marked a victory of truth and that ‘democracy’ in India will be brought to an end in 2024. One of the leaders, Saurabh Bharadwaj, had said that Kejriwal’s release was no less than a miracle.
जेल के ताले टूट गए….#ModiCantStopKejriwal #SatyamevJayte pic.twitter.com/jbyFaP0hSZ
— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) May 10, 2024
Sources said that Kejriwal will soon begin travelling across the country to campaign for the opposition bloc which is aiming to prevent Modi and his BJP from winning power for the third consecutive time.
