The Aryavarth Express
Agency(New Delhi): The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has called for a collective fast across the nation on April 7, to be staged at Jantar Mantar, in protest against the detention of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The announcement was made by AAP leader Gopal Rai, who also serves as the Delhi state convener, highlighting the event as a pivotal moment to rally public support for Kejriwal’s cause.
Rai outlined the initiative as an open invitation to all those who oppose Kejriwal’s arrest and wish to champion the cause of preserving the nation’s democratic principles against perceived injustice and authoritarianism. The party has encouraged participation not only at the central event in Delhi’s Jantar Mantar but also through collective fasts across homes, villages, neighborhoods, and major administrative regions, including tehsils, districts, and state capitals.
The fast aims to unify participants in a spiritual gesture as well, with Rai suggesting collective prayers or listening to the devotional hymn “Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram” as a form of solidarity. He emphasized the fast as a spiritual plea for strength and truth in Kejriwal’s ongoing battle while incarcerated.
Participants are encouraged to document their participation and send images to the website kejriwalkoaashirvaad.com, fostering a sense of communal effort and support. Rai stressed that Kejriwal’s struggle transcends personal vindication, portraying it as a crusade to safeguard the country from dictatorship, oppression, and abuse.
Kejriwal’s arrest by the Enforcement Directorate last month in connection with an excise policy-linked money laundering case has sparked significant controversy and debate, with his judicial custody extended until April 15. This nationwide fast by AAP and its supporters represents a critical moment in the party’s advocacy for Kejriwal’s release and a test of public support for its broader democratic ideals.