INDIA Bloc Plans Protest Over Arvind Kejriwal’s Declining Health

The Opposition INDIA bloc is planning a mega protest against the BJP-led Central government over the declining health of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The alliance, which is accusing the government of toying with the health of Mr Kejriwal, will hold a major rally at Jantar Mantar on July 30, the Aam Aadmi Party said.

Mr Kejriwal’s AAP has been accusing the BJP of “conspiring to kill” him in jail and cited his medical report to show that his sugar levels had fallen 26 times between June 3 and July 7.

“The INDIA bloc will hold a big rally at Jantar Mantar on July 30 to raise the issue of Kejriwal’s falling health,” AAP said today.

Mr Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21 in a money laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi liquor scam and has been granted bail by the Supreme Court. He, however, was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation on June 26 in a related case and is still lodged in Tihar jail.

Mr Kejriwal has challenged his arrest by the CBI and sought bail. The Delhi High Court will hear his petition next Monday.

Mr Kejriwal’s lawyer Abhishek Singhvi described it an “insurance arrest… because this man shouldn’t walk free”. The CBI has dismissed the allegation.

Mr Kejriwal and AAP have rubbished the charges against him, tagging it political vendetta. Despite months of search the ED has not found the alleged bribe money, they have pointed out.

Multiple petitions, meanwhile, have demanded that Mr Kejriwal be ordered to step down from the post of the Chief Minister. The Supreme Court scrapped one such petition in May, saying it had “no legal merit” and that Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena (the centre’s representative) “doesn’t need our guidance”.