AAP workers and supporters attended the INDIA Bloc rally in large numbers at the Ramlila Maidan on Sunday, many of them wearing yellow-coloured T-shirts with "Mai bhi Kejriwal”, "Modi ka sabse bada dar Kejriwal" printed on them and carrying AAP flags to express solidarity with their leader Arvind Kejriwal.
They were also wearing mask with “Main Bhi Kejriwal”. Many party workers from Punjab and Delhi reached the Ramlila Ground with conch shells (‘shankha') and dhols.
"Arvind Kejriwal who always talks about education, providing free electricity, free bus services for women has been sent behind the bars,” said Aam Aadmi Party (AAP worker Kewal Singh, a resident of Taran Taran village. He was dressed up as Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann at the rally.
"The rally is being organised to end dictatorship and save democracy," said Kulwinder Singh, an AAP worker from Delhi.
There were 20,000-30,000 people at the INDIA Bloc’s Loktantra Bachao rally at the Ramlila Maidan who came to express solidarity with arrested Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren.
Supporters of various Opposition parties including AAP, Congress, Communist Party of India (M), and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chanted slogans like “Abki bar BJP tadipaar”, “Modi teri tanashahi nahi chalegi” and “Kejriwal zindabad” passionately in unison, charging up the entire atmosphere at the rally.
"In our culture we blow the ‘shankha' to keep negative energy away. We are blowing ‘shankha' to keep negative people away from Arvind Kejriwal. He is someone who not only promised better things for the poor, but did it on the ground as well," said Kumar Kishor, terming the Delhi chief minister's arrest as illegal.
"For the first time in India's history, a sitting chief minister has been arrested and that too just before the national (Lok Sabha) election," Delhi Finance Minister Atishi said. Other AAP workers were seen distributing flags and T-shirts to supporters.
Several supporters carried posters showing Kejriwal behind bars, which were captioned "Modi ka sabse bada dar Kejriwal (Kejriwal is Modi's biggest fear)".
Flags of other parties including that of the Congress, AAP, CPI (M), RJD, NSUI were seen at the maidan.
The event saw a brief mismanagement when scores of workers jumped from their designated area and came close to the press gallery, which was near the stage. Although the opposition leaders stood united on the dais, a visible rift between the supporters of different parties, primarily the AAP and Congress were visible.
While the leaders were delivering their speeches, Congress supporters were seen abruptly hurling slogans like ‘Rahul Gandhi zindabad’ and “Congress Zindabad’.
Ahead of the 'Loktantra Bachao' (Save Democracy) rally in Delhi's Ramlila Maidan, the poster of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was removed from the podium. The poster had an image of Kejriwal shown behind bars. The rationale behind the removal of Kejriwal's poster remained undisclosed, leaving observers to speculate on the reasons behind this action. However, what became apparent was the conspicuous early arrival of Congress's top leadership at the venue, preceding their alliance partners. The Congress earlier said that it was not a one-person centric rally. The removal of Kejriwal's poster and the early arrival of Congress leaders hint at the intricate dynamics within the Opposition coalition, underscoring the broader context of political maneuvering in the run-up to the elections.
Despite heavy security arrangements at the venue in anticipation of the number of supporters of the ‘maharally’ by the Delhi police, stampede-like situations were visible at many entrance gates of the venue.
AAP leader and Delhi Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj alleged that the Delhi police had stopped supporters outside the venue and urged the forces to let them in.
