Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders during a day-long mass fast to protest against the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister and the party's national convener Arvind Kejriwal, in New Delhi.
Credit: PTI File Photo
New Delhi: AAP on Wednesday announced that it will observe Samvidhan Bachao, Tanashahi Hatao Divas (Save Constitution, Remove Dictatorship) on the birth anniversary of B R Ambedkar on April 14 against Narendra Modi-led BJP following 'instructions' from Delhi Chief Minister and party supremo Arvind Kejriwal.
This was decided at a meeting of party leaders where Kejriwal's wife Sunita Kejriwal informed the leaders about the Chief Minister's message.
The meeting, held at Kejriwal's official residence, was attended by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Rajya Sabha floor leader Sanjay Singh, AAP General Secretary (Organisation) Sandeep Pathak, Delhi Ministers Gopal Rai and Saurabh Bharadwaj and senior party leader Jasmine Shah.
"Arvind Kejriwal has sent two messages for us from jail. Firstly, he has said that the party and Delhi government have to continue its services to ensure that people of Delhi do not face any problem. Secondly, he said that he is ready to bear all the hurdles and atrocities of this dictatorial government, but the most important thing today is to save the Constitution," Rai said.
"Kejriwal has said that on April 14, the birth anniversary of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar, the entire party observes it as 'Samvidhan Hatao Tanashahi Hatao' Day," he told reporters after the meeting.
He also said all AAP leaders and volunteers across the country should pledge to oppose the "dictatorship" and save the Constitution on Ambedkar's birth anniversary.
AAP's students wing Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS) will lead a 'mashaal march' on April 16 in support of Kejriwal. They are also going to start a signature campaign in all colleges of Delhi from Thursday.
Separately, Singh claimed that an inquiry has been launched into Kejriwal sending messages to his MLAs through his lawyers from Tihar jail. A "threat was issued" that his meetings with his lawyers and family members would be stopped, Singh alleged at a press conference.
He also claimed that he and Mann wanted to meet Kejriwal in jail but the meeting was cancelled by the prison authorities. "Kejriwal will neither break nor bow down to any torture," he added.
The BJP continued its protest against Kejriwal with its leaders and workers organising a demonstration near AAP headquarters, demanding the resignation of the Delhi Chief Minister. Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva suffered injuries when police resorted to use of water cannons to disperse the protesters.
However, police claimed mild force was used to disperse the protesters and no one was injured.