AAP leaders and workers staged a protest against the BJP here on Monday over the arrest of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, and charged that its government was misusing central agencies to target its political rivals.
Sisodia was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped excise policy for 2021-22.
A heavy police deployment was made in Chandigarh in view of the protest.
Speaking to reporters, Punjab minister Bram Shanker Jimpa slammed the BJP-led Centre for Sisodia's arrest.
"They (BJP) are misusing central agencies. What is happening now was even not witnessed during the Emergency," said Jimpa who is the minister for revenue, rehabilitation and disaster management.
The protesting AAP leaders alleged that the BJP had an “agenda” to stop the AAP from carrying out its welfare programmes as it was feeling “jittery” over the “growing popularity” of the AAP and its leader Arvind Kejriwal.
The protesters carried placards which read "Siksha Mantri Tujhe Salaam" (salute to education minister) with a picture of Sisodia, and raised slogans against the BJP.
On Sunday, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had slammed the Centre over the arrest of Sisodia and said the AAP leaders were not afraid of alleged misuse of agencies such as CBI and ED by the Centre and would continue to serve the people without any fear.
Maharashtra: AAP workers stage protest against Manish Sisodia's arrest; detained
A number of Aam Aadmi Party workers were detained on Monday while they were on their way to stage a protest outside the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office in Mumbai against the arrest of senior AAP leader and Delhi's Deputy Chief minister Manish Sisodia. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested Sisodia on Sunday in connection with alleged corruption in the now-scrapped excise policy of Delhi for 2021-22.
On Monday, the police stopped the AAP workers, who were sporting their trademark caps, near Churchgate station in south Mumbai.
However, as they staged a dharna, the police detained them.
AAP's Maharashtra unit chief Preeti Sharma Menon said the police's job is to protect the Constitution and not the BJP.
“They (the BJP) had been trying to arrest Manish Sisodia for a long time because 'Operation Lotus' did not succeed in Delhi. They threatened him, but he did not pay heed, so they arrested him,” Menon said.
In Nagpur, the AAP workers staged an agitation in front of the BJP's office in Ganeshpeth area and raised slogans against the Narendra Modi-led central government.
Devendra Wankhede, convenor of the AAP's Vidarbha unit, said the party is observing a "black day" throughout the country against the "arbitrary rule" of the BJP.
He claimed the BJP was using central agencies to frame leaders from the Opposition parties in false cases.
Jammu & Kashmir: APP protests against minister's arrest
Police on Monday foiled an attempt by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers to take out a protest march here against the arrest of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia by the CBI in an excise policy case.
The AAP workers assembled at the party office at Rajbagh and raised slogans like “Shiksha Mantri Tujhe Salaam”, “Gundagardi nahi chalegi”, “Taana shahi nahi chalega”, decrying Sisodia’s arrest.
However, a posse of police personnel did not allow the AAP protestors to come out on the road and pushed them back into their office premises.
“We are observing this day as a black day. A revered member of the Aam Aadmi Party has been sent to jail. It's a black day for democracy throughout India,” Rizwan Ahmad, AAP’s youth wing leader, said.
He said the BJP was attacking the AAP in order to break the “aam aadmi sentiment”.
“It is a political vendetta against Aam Aadmi Party’s growing popularity throughout India. The BJP is doing a witch hunt on AAP leaders,” he added.
'Murder of democracy', workers stage protest in Goa
Goa Aam Aadmi Party leaders on Monday protested outside the Bharatiya Janata Party's office in Panaji to condemn the arrest of Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and dubbed the action against the senior AAP leader as "murder of democracy".
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday arrested Sisodia in connection with alleged corruption in the now-scrapped excise policy relating to the sale of alcohol.
In Goa, AAP leaders including MLAs Venzy Viegas and Cruz Silva, state party vice president Valmiki Naik and others protested outside the BJP's head office in Panaji.
Talking to reporters after the protest, Naik said the arrest of Sisodia was “murder of democracy”.
He claimed the situation in India currently is like the Emergency imposed in 1975, during which those opposing the government were imprisoned.
Naik said their protest was part of the nationwide call given by the AAP.
Sisodia's arrest, one of the high-profile actions against an opposition leader, came after that of Satyendar Jain, Delhi's then health minister, in June last year. Both Sisodia and Jain have led what the AAP describes as the successful transformation of Delhi's education and health services, contributing to the party's popularity and continued electoral success.
A poster of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia held by an AAP worker during a protest over Sisodia's arrest by CBI in the excise policy case, near BJP office, in Calcutta PTI picture
Protests in Calcutta
The West Bengal unit of AAP on Monday staged a demonstration near BJP state headquarters here to protest the arrest of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia by the CBI in connection with an alleged case of corruption relating to the now-scrapped excise policy.
The ruling TMC in the state, too, condemned the arrest as a "reflection of authoritarian rule".
Sisodia's arrest, one of the most high-profile actions against an opposition leader, comes after that of Satyendar Jain, Delhi's then health minister, in June last year.
Carrying posters and placards that criticised the BJP government at the Centre, AAP activists, who had huddled next to Mohammed Ali Park, sought Sisodia's immediate release.
The police, however, stopped them from approaching the state BJP office at Murlidhar Sen Lane.
"The BJP government's political vendetta against AAP has been exposed with Sisodia's arrest. He was arrested even though there was no concrete evidence against him," one of the protesters said.
The TMC, too, hit out at the saffron camp, claiming that the central agencies are being "misused" to harass opposition leaders.
"This is another example of the Centre's dictatorial attitude. Anyone who opposes them, (BJP leaders) gets arrested. Central agencies are misused to threaten and harass opposition leaders," TMC MP Santanu Sen said.
Echoing him, TMC Rajya Sabha party leader Derek O'Brien claimed that no action would have been initiated against Sisodia, had he been a part of the saffron camp.
"If Manish Sisodia had got himself a BJP brand of washing machine, he would (have) never been arrested. Bravo, Manish. Allies, Shiv Sena, SAD, JD(U), TDP, and many others have all abandoned BJP. Only CBI, ED, and I-T remain true allies.
"Targeting Opposition leaders is the DESPERATE DUO'S favourite job," O'Brien said in a tweet, without naming anyone.
Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.