The AAP and INDIA bloc leaders rejoiced in celebrations in the national capital on Friday after the Supreme Court granted interim bail to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal till June 1, saying his release from judicial custody will pave the way for “big changes” in the country.
Jubilant workers danced and raised slogans such as “Jail ke taale toot gaye, Kejriwal ji choot gaye” (Locks of jail broken, Kejriwal is freed) outside the AAP’s office in Delhi. The party thanked the Supreme Court for granting interim bail to the AAP chief. The former IRS officer and Kejriwal’s wife Sunita, who has stepped into the limelight since her husband’s arrest on March 21, said Kejriwal’s release on interim bail is ‘victory of democracy’ and attributed the relief as the result of prayers and blessings of millions of people. “Hanuman ji ki jai. This is the victory of democracy. It is the result of the prayers and blessings of millions of people. Many thanks to everyone,” Sunita said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
At a joint press conference, senior AAP leader and Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj described the interim bail as a blessing of Lord Hanuman to his devotee Kejriwal. He said, “Kejriwal’s interim bail after 40 days is no less than a miracle. There is also a divine hint that prevailing conditions are going to change in the country. His release will pave the way for big changes in the country.”
Following the apex court’s decision, AAP cancelled all its meetings and programmes in the city ahead of the Lok Sabha 2024 elections, which is slated to be held in Delhi on May 25. MLA Dilip Pandey and AAP candidate for East Delhi Kuldeep Kumar’s interaction with a group of doctors in Patparganj, MLA Ritiraj Jha’s Sankalp sabha in Sangam Vihar, AAP Delhi Convenor and Delhi Minister Gopal Rai’s Sankalp Sabha in Matiala and Vikaspuri and Senior AAP leader and Delhi Minister Atishi, MCD Mayor Shelly Oberoi, MLA Rakhir Birla and Women wing President Sarika Chaudhary’s event of forming a human chain were in the list of programmes that were called off following the relief by Supreme Court.
Party’s Delhi unit convener Gopal Rai said all people in the country who love democracy are overjoyed with the top court’s verdict and it is a ray of hope for them. “The SC verdict has not only provided interim bail to Kejriwal, it has also ensured victory of democracy and the constitution,” he said.
Senior AAP leader and Delhi Minister Atishi described the top court’s decision as a victory for truth and democracy in the country and said, “I want to appeal to people that this is the last chance to save democracy through the power of vote and replace dictatorship in the country.”
Claiming that dictatorship will end, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said, “Truth can be troubled but not defeated (‘Satya pareshan ho sakta hai, parajit nahin’). The decision of the Hon’ble Supreme Court is welcome. Dictatorship will end. Satyamev Jayate.” Talking to the media, AAP MLA Durgesh Pathak said, “We welcome the Supreme Court order. Satyamev Jayete! The dictatorship will end.”
Congress, AAP’s alliance partner in Delhi, also welcomed the decision of the apex court stating this will boost the faith of the people in democracy. Delhi Congress Chief Devender Yadav said, “We have been saying that the BJP and its leaders have caged the establishments of democracy. Because of this, the sitting CMs were sent to jail. I appreciate the Supreme Court’s order of granting (interim) bail to Arvind Kejriwal. This will boost the faith of people in democracy.”
The decision of the Supreme Court, for letting Kejriwal campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha 2024 elections, will strengthen the alliance, he said. “We are into an alliance and in an alliance, wherever someone is needed, we have to stand with them. All the seven (Lok Sabha seats) are our responsibility. We will try that the joint campaign, which has got strength now, will get stronger by this decision,” Yadav claimed.
Congress candidate Kanhaiya Kumar from Northeast Delhi constituency welcomed the SC decision and said that the INDIA bloc’s war for justice continues. On X (formerly Twitter), he said, “I welcome the decision of the Hon’ble Supreme Court to grant interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. This is a big decision to protect the constitutional rights of citizens. INDIA alliance’s war for justice continues, the real victory will be achieved on June 4 by uprooting this anti-constitutional government.”
A bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta said Kejriwal, arrested in a money laundering case linked to the alleged excise policy scam, will have to surrender and go back to jail on June 2. The matter relates to the alleged corruption and money laundering in the formulation and execution of the Delhi government’s now scrapped excise policy for 2021-22.
