Bhagat Singh’s soul will shiver that democracy is finished in this country: Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann

The decision to hold the protest at this park today, dedicated to the country’s freedom fighters and housing sculptures of those who were part of the struggle for Independence, was symbolic in more ways than one — March 23 is also Shaheed Diwas, the day Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru, were hanged to death. Protesters were spotted holding placards with inquilab zindabad, alongside images of both Bhagat Singh and Kejriwal.

Mann added that Kejriwal may have been arrested, but his way of thinking cannot be imprisoned. “Anger has spread across the country… that the BJP wants to bring dictatorship to this country… that if they don’t form the government in Delhi, they won’t let the government work and what the L-G says will happen… if they don’t form the government in Punjab, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, the governor will rule. The constitution of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar is being threatened… ED, CBI, Election Commission, Supreme Court, they don’t listen to anybody. The country is not somebody’s private property. We first fought against the British, now we will fight against these thieves. Arvind Kejriwal baahar aayenge aur poore inqilab ke sath bahaar ayenge,” Mann said.
AAP Ministers including Atishi, Saurabh Bharadwaj, and Kailash Gahlot, Mayor Shelly Oberoi, MLAs, and MCD councillors were among those at the protest.

Gahlot said, “Arresting a sitting CM like this is wrong. You can arrest Kejriwal, but he is not just a person, but a way of thinking and that cannot be imprisoned. He was untainted and will remain so.”

From the Congress, former Minister Haroon Yusuf was at the protest. “Our message is that the INDIA (bloc) is standing with full strength and power, and the manner in which democracy is being destroyed by arresting Chief Ministers — first it was Hemant Soren and now it’s Arvind Kejriwal… so a lot of leaders of Congress who are a part of the alliance are going to fight the fight to save this democracy with all our might,” he said.

Bharadwaj said: “We thank the Congress, the Left and all other INDIA partners, for their support towards Arvind Kejriwal ji since Day One… Everyone is standing together to save democracy in the country.”

Party workers and supporters had gathered amidst heavy deployment of police and Rapid Action Force personnel. When some workers attempted to head towards the AAP office on DDU Marg, they were stopped by police who proceeded to detain them. Around 28 party workers were detained and released, according to police.

Meanwhile, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva, along with a BJP delegation, paid floral tributes at Mahatma Gandhi’s samadhi and said that they will continue their fight against corruption, according to a statement from the Delhi BJP.

Addressing the crowd at Rajghat, Sachdeva accused AAP of succumbing to dynastic tendencies. “Just as Mrs Sunita Kejriwal is managing the party’s affairs through daily briefings, now the Aam Aadmi Party has also joined the list of dynastic parties… now this party has joined the list as Congress 2, Lalu Yadav 2, Pawar 2, Akhilesh 2,” he said.