Arvind Kejriwal Detained in Delhi During March Against Election Chief

Delhi Police took Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal into custody on Saturday outside his residence in Lodhi Estate as he headed to a demonstration at Jantar Mantar.

Detention and Reactions

A video posted online showed the former Delhi Chief Minister inside a police bus alongside party MP Sanjay Jha. He called on citizens to step forward and back the agitation calling for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged vote manipulation. Earlier on October 10, Mr. Kejriwal criticized the central government for enforcing security restrictions in central Delhi that he compared to conditions worse than an Emergency. Senior party leader Atishi Marlena condemned the move on social media, questioning how many individuals the Prime Minister intends to jail to protect the election chief.

Context

Public demonstrations in the national capital are frequently met with heavy police deployments and restrictions on movement by law enforcement agencies. Political protests targeting constitutional bodies and top officials often spark sharp clashes between ruling and opposition factions.