Thousands of individuals came together on Sunday for a rally in New Delhi organized by an alliance of opposition parties in India. The demonstration, known as the "Save Democracy" rally, aimed to criticize Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government for allegedly suppressing opponents and weakening democratic institutions in the lead-up to the upcoming national elections.
The arrest of Arvind Kejriwal, a prominent opposition figure and the chief minister of New Delhi, has sparked controversy and tension within the political landscape of India. Kejriwal was detained by the federal Enforcement Directorate, an agency under Modi's administration, over allegations of his party and state ministers accepting bribes from liquor contractors amounting to 1 billion rupees over two years ago. Despite the accusations, the Aam Aadmi Party, also known as the Common Man's Party, has refuted the claims and affirmed that Kejriwal will continue to serve as New Delhi's chief minister pending legal proceedings.
The opposition bloc INDIA, challenging Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming elections scheduled to commence in April, views Kejriwal's arrest as a setback. Criticism has arisen from opposition leaders who condemn the arrest as anti-democratic and view it as a strategic move by the BJP to undermine their political influence. While the BJP maintains that law enforcement agencies operate independently and denies allegations of targeting political opponents, the opposition continues to express concerns over the perceived threats to democracy and the electoral process in India.