AAP leaders hold collective fast to protest against Kejriwal's arrest

Senior leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) gathered at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on Sunday for a day-long fast to protest against the arrest of Delhi chief minister and the party's national convener Arvind Kejriwal.

Similar protests were being held in other states as well as by Indians abroad, including at Harvard Square in Boston, the Hollywood Sign in Los Angeles, outside the Indian Embassy in Washington DC, Times Square in New York and in Toronto, London and Melbourne among other cities, party leaders said.

Chief minister Bhagwant Mann in AAP-ruled Punjab joined a collective fast at freedom fighter Bhagat Singh's village Khatkar Kalan, they said.

Many senior AAP leaders, including Delhi Assembly speaker Ram Niwas Goel, deputy speaker Rakhi Bila, ministers Atishi, Gopal Rai and Imran Hussain have gathered to attend the day-long 'Samuhik Upwas' at Jantar Mantar in the national capital which started from 11.00 am.

The AAP's Delhi unit convener Gopal Rai appealed to people to join the fast to protest Kejriwal's arrest, and alleged that the arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a case linked to the now scrapped Delhi excise policy was part of the BJP's conspiracy to finish the AAP.

Kejriwal is in judicial custody until 15 April. The ED has accused the AAP leader of being involved in the "entire conspiracy of Delhi liquor scam, in drafting and implementation of the policy, for favouring and benefiting the quid pro receiving kickbacks and eventually using part of proceeds of crime generated out of the scheduled offence in the election campaign for Goa Assembly elections"