Kejriwal threatened to protest in view of heavy police deployment

New Delhi: May 19: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal before heading towards the BJP headquarters, while addressing party leaders and workers at AAP headquarters, said that they would march till the allowed way and sit there for half an hour, and if they are not arrested, it will be the saffron party’s defeat.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made up his mind to destroy and crush AAP. He has started an operation called ‘Operation Jhadu’. How did I find out about this? Many people go to meet the PM, and among them are several who know us as well. After meeting with him, they informed us,” said Kejriwal.

“Everyone had the same version: that the PM started talking about AAP and said that AAP is rapidly growing and their work is being discussed across the country. In the coming times, at both the national and state levels, AAP could be a serious challenge for BJP. Therefore, BJP believes and says that this party should be immediately destroyed,” the AAP national convenor alleged.

Kejriwal claimed that under this Operation Jhadu, senior leaders of AAP will be arrested and are being arrested.

“And in the coming time, AAP’s bank account will be seized. ED has said in court that they will seize AAP’s bank account after the elections. They will also vacate AAP’s office,” said Kejriwal.

“Do they think this will destroy AAP? AAP is the party of the dreams of 140 crore people. In Delhi and Punjab, poor children are getting a good education, which Modi couldn’t do, so he thought to destroy us. We have provided free treatment and set up mohalla clinics, which they couldn’t do. We have given free electricity,” he said.

“I want to tell the PM, if you arrest one leader, 100 more will be born. If you arrest one Kejriwal, there will be 1,000 more Kejriwals. Since 2015, they have made many accusations against us. Now there is this liquor scam, where is that money? They have arrested us with fake cases,” said the CM.

He further said that Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain, and Sanjay Singh are in jail. “Today my PA was put in jail. They are saying that they will put Raghav Chaddha, who has just returned from London, in jail then Atishi, Kailash Gehlot, Saurabh Bharadwaj,” said Kejriwal.

“I want to tell the PM, we are coming together. You arrest us. We will go as far as you let us, and we will sit there. We will wait for half an hour, and if we are not arrested, it will be their (BJP) defeat,” said Kejriwal.

Senior leaders including AAP MPs Sanjay Singh and Raghav Chadha, Delhi Ministers Gopal Rai, and Atishi, party MLAs and workers were present.

Ahead of Chief Minister Kejriwal’s call for a protest march at BJP headquarters, the Delhi Metro closed entry and exit at ITO Metro station, an official said on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police have imposed section 144 of CrPC near the Bharatiya Janata Party headquarters and deployed water cannons, and heavy force, including paramilitary as no permission to protest was sought by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

The Delhi Traffic Police also issued an advisory: “In view of the proposed protest by a political party at DDU Marg Delhi, traffic will remain heavy at DDU Marg, IP Marg, Minto Road and Vikas Marg. DDU Marg may be closed for traffic movement between 11.00 a.m. to 2.00 p.m. Kindly avoid these roads and plan your journey accordingly,” traffic cops wrote on X.