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

Pic/PTI

Top leaders of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) gathered at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on Sunday for a day-long fast to protest against the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister and the party's national convener Arvind Kejriwal, reported news agency PTI.

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, in New York Times Square and Toronto, London and Melbourne among others, party leaders said, reported PTI.

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

Many senior AAP leaders, including Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel, Deputy Speaker Rakhi Bila, ministers Atishi, Gopal Rai and Imran Hussain attended the day-long 'Samuhik Upwas' at Jantar Mantar in the national capital from 11 am, reported PTI.

The AAP's Delhi unit convener Gopal Rai appealed to people to join the fast to protest against Kejriwal's arrest. He alleged that Kejriwal's arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in a case linked to the Delhi excise policy-linked scam case was part of the BJP's conspiracy to finish the AAP.

Kejriwal is in judicial custody till April 15.

Meanwhile, former AAP MLA Sandeep Kumar has approached the Delhi High Court seeking the removal of arrested party leader Arvind Kejriwal from the post of chief minister of the national capital.

The petition is listed for hearing before Justice Subramonium Prasad on Monday.

In his petition, Kumar has said after his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money-laundering case linked to the now-scrapped excise policy for Delhi, Kejriwal has incurred an "incapacity" to carry out the chief minister's functions under the Constitution.

The plea says the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader's "unavailability" complicates the constitutional mechanism and he can never function as the chief minister from prison according to the mandate of the Constitution.

"Article 239AA(4) of the Constitution provides for the Council of Ministers with the chief minister at the head to aid and advise the lieutenant governor in the exercise of his functions in relation to matters with respect to which the legislative Assembly has power to make laws. The aid and advice to the lieutenant governor are practically not possible without the chief minister being a free person available to render his aid and advice under the Constitution," the petition says.

"Issue a writ of quo warranto against Respondent No.1 i.e. Mr Arvind Kejriwal, the incumbent chief minister of Delhi, by calling upon him to show by what authority, qualification and title he holds the office of the chief minister of Delhi under Article 239AA of the Constitution and after an inquiry, dislodge him from the office of the chief minister of Delhi with or without the retrospective effect," the petition prays.

(With inputs from PTI)