Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was sent to six-day Enforcement Directorate custody in connection with the excise policy case on Friday.
ED spokesperson S. V. Raju describes Kejriwal as the ‘kingpin’ of the suspected fraud, accusing him of transferring cash for the 2022 Goa Legislative Assembly elections. This unusual arrest represents the first time a serving Chief Minister has been imprisoned in independent India, following Kejriwal’s repeated defiance of the investigation agency’s summons, which he labelled “illegal.”
Commenting on the situation, AAP leader Somnath Bharti denied the case’s legitimacy, accusing the Modi administration of utilising agencies such as the ED and CBI to thwart democracy.
Political spectrum
Across the political spectrum, opposition parties have condemned the detention. Rahul Gandhi of the Congress implicitly criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, comparing him to a scared ruler seeking to suppress democracy. Meanwhile, AAP Minister Atishi criticised the BJP-led Central government, claiming that Kejriwal will continue to serve as Chief Minister even from behind bars.
Mamata Banerjee of the TMC condemned Kejriwal’s arrest, and Omar Abdullah of the Jammu Kashmir National Conference linked Kejriwal’s arrest to the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Mamata Banerjee, TMC leader West Bengal
“I vehemently condemn the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal, the sitting elected Chief Minister of Delhi elected by the people…It’s outrageous that while elected opposition CMs are being deliberately targeted and arrested, individuals accused under CBI/ED investigations are allowed to continue their malpractices with impunity, especially after aligning with the BJP. This is a blatant assault on democracy,” TMC leader and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee wrote in a post on X.
She added, “Today, our India alliance will meet the EC to express our strong objection to the deliberate targeting and arrests of opposition leaders, particularly during the MCC period.”
Omar Abdullah, National Conference J&K
“Clearly, the arrest of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal is linked to elections. Within days of the Lok Sabha polls announcement, you see a sitting CM and an important partner of the opposition alliance have been arbitrarily arrested by the ED. His arrest is unfortunately part of the process whereby the democratic institutions of the country have gradually been eroded,” Jammu and Kashmir National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah said on Friday.
“This is a Quazi emergency”
Ritu Taneja, a Chandni Chowk government school teacher protesting Arvind Kejirwal’s arrest, stated, “I, too, am Kejriwal.” Arrest me also. This is a total dictatorship. What are we going to do with children who are threatened with arrest if they raise their voices?
Meanwhile, Om Praksh, a retired ISRO scientist, declared, “The central government has murdered democracy and the Constitution.” I’ve seen countless parties and elections come and go, but what’s occurring today is nothing short of an emergency. This is a Quazi emergency. People have no voice in it, which is not acceptable for the people of Delhi. This also demonstrates that they would do anything they wanted. Very soon, they may dissolve the Delhi Assembly as well.“
Protests
The AAP has organised a four-day protest plan in reaction to Kejriwal’s detention, with senior party leader Gopal Rai disclosing plans to ‘gherao’ Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mansion on March 26. Furthermore, protests are planned in ITO’s Shaheedi Park, with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann joining the opposition.
The people have reacted strongly, with protesters expressing support for Kejriwal and decrying what they see as an authoritarian assault on dissent. Concerns about the deterioration of democracy and constitutional rights have been expressed by people from many perspectives.
Germany Reacts
Internationally, Germany reacted to the Kejriwal’s detention, emphasising the significance of preserving judicial independence and democratic ideals. The German government expects Kejriwal to be given a fair trial with full access to legal remedies, emphasising the assumption of innocence as a key component of the rule of law.
Sebastian Fischer, a spokeswoman for Germany’s foreign ministry, was responding to a question on how the German federal government saw Kejriwal’s arrest.
“We have taken note of the case. India is a democratic country. We assume and expect that the standards relating to the independence of the judiciary and fundamental democratic principles will also apply in this case,” Fiscer mentioned in his website.
