A temple visit, political strategic meetings and plans for a public rally marked the day for Arvind Kejriwal, the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP’s) national convener, who was discharged from the excise policy case—pursued by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)—by a Delhi court a day earlier. AAP announced that Kejriwal will address a public rally at Jantar Mantar on Sunday morning.
Kejriwal kicked off the day with a visit to the Pracheen Hanuman Mandir in Connaught Place, offering prayers and thanking supporters, who gathered in large numbers. He was accompanied by his wife Sunita Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, his former deputy chief minister in the Delhi government and also among the 23 discharged from the case, former minister Satyendar Jain, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh and former MLA Durgesh Pathak.
“Today, along with my wife Sunita and other party colleagues, I bowed my head at the feet of Lord Bajrang Bali. With the blessings of the people, Bajrang Bali and the Constitution framed by Babasaheb Ambedkar, all of us have received justice from the court,” he said.
The excise policy case pertains to the Delhi government’s 2021-22 liquor policy, which was introduced in November 2021 with an objective of reforming the city’s retail liquor trade, curbing black marketing and increasing revenue. The policy ended the government’s role in retail sales and shifted to a licence-based system for private vendors.
In July 2022, following allegations of procedural irregularities and alleged undue benefits to certain licensees, the then lieutenant governor recommended a CBI probe, and the policy was subsequently withdrawn. Kejriwal and Sisodia were arrested in connection with the case and spent months in custody. On Friday, the Rouse Avenue Court held that there was not sufficient evidence to proceed to trial against them in the matter.
AAP member Durgesh Pathak said on Saturday, “From the very first day, we have been saying that truth must prevail, and ultimately, that has happened.”
Meanwhile, AAP leaders announced that Kejriwal will address a public rally at Jantar Mantar at 11 am on Sunday, marking his first major public meeting since the court’s decision. Delhi AAP president Saurabh Bharadwaj said leaders from Delhi, Punjab, Gujarat and Goa, among other states, would attend the gathering.
“The voice that rises from Jantar Mantar will resonate across the nation, and people everywhere are eagerly awaiting the address,” Bharadwaj said.
Bhardwaj said that Kejriwal will raise his voice for the rights of thousands of employees who have been removed from their jobs. He urged all bus marshals, DTC bus conductors, mohalla clinic staff, DIMTS employees and data entry operators working at hospitals to turn up in large numbers in their respective uniforms.