AAP's PM residence gherao march: Many detained, party says Delhi has become 'police state'

AAP leaders and workers took to the streets on Tuesday against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwals arrest with many being detained at Patel Chowk as they tried to march towards the prime ministers residence on Lok Kalyan Marg raising slogans of Inquilab Zindabad and Kejriwal ZindabadClaiming that the Delhi Police has turned the national capital into a fortress Aam Aadmi Party AAP Delhi unit convener Gopal Rai told a press conference that the way the BJPled central government has imposed restrictions under section 144 across the city it seems Delhi has become a police statePolice beefed up security in several parts of the national capital including around the PMs residence and Central Delhi by deploying its personnel and those of paramilitary forces While the Lok Kalyan Marg metro station is shut entry and exit are restricted at the Patel Chowk and the Central Secretariat metro stations till further noticeSenior AAP leader Somnath Bharti Delhi Assembly Deputy Speaker Rakhi Birla and Punjab Minister Harjot Singh Bains were among those detained by policeI want to warn the Centre that this movement will not stop with the use of police force Rai said and claimed that women workers of his party were dragged and detainedAAP workers and leaders started reaching near the Patel Chowk metro station in groups since morning as the party had called for a gherao at Prime Minister Narendra Modis residenceProhibitory orders under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure are imposed in the Patel Chowk area and police cannot allow anyone to gather a senior officer said and added that in view of this we have to clear this area We will not allow anybody to gather here he saidDeputy Commissioner of Police New Delhi Devesh Kumar had earlier warned that those who gather at the chowk to demonstrate would be detained immediatelyRai asserted that the fight against the dictatorship in the country is the struggle of those who love democracy and the Constitution and announced that preparations are now underway for a maharally at the Ramleela ground here on March 31In this lakhs of people will be present and prominent leaders of the INDIA bloc will raise their voice against Kejriwals arrest Rai said The bloc was formed by some opposition parties including the AAP the Congress the Trinamool Congress the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Samajwadi Party to counter the BJP in the Lok Sabha pollsAAP national convener Kejriwal who was arrested on March 21 and subsequently remanded to the Enforcement Directorates ED custody till March 28 by a Delhi court faces allegations of direct involvement in a conspiracy related to the formulation of the excise policy favouring specific individualsThe BJPled central government is targeting everyone who is honest so that it can save the corrupt Kavita one of the protesters said Bharti in a post on X said he has been detained by police along with Rakhi BirlaDelhi Police for no rhyme or reason along with Deputy Speaker Rakhi Birla and many volunteers of AAP and supporters of Arvind Kejriwal Ji Its shocking to see that while the Delhi Police are arresting peacefully protesting AAP supporters they are doing nothing to stop BJP4India Bharti postedLeaders and workers of the BJPs Delhi unit also staged a demonstration on Tuesday demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Kejriwal Police said at least 57 BJP workers were detained and water cannons used during the partys demonstrationKejriwal has refuted the accusations levelled against him and has accused the BJPled central government of manipulating investigative agencies for political motivesThe ED has said that Kejriwal is the kingpin and key conspirator in the nowscrapped excise policy in collusion with AAP ministers leaders and other personsThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever