Arvind Kejriwal Detained Outside Residence Amid Jantar Mantar Protest Crackdown

Aam Aadmi Party supremo Arvind Kejriwal was detained by Delhi Police on Saturday as he attempted to lead a march to Jantar Mantar. The former Delhi chief minister had expressed his support for the ‘Jantar Mantar 2.0’ protest, which was organised to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in electoral rolls.Security measures around Mr. Kejriwal’s residence were significantly intensified on the morning of October 10, effectively turning the premises into a fortress. Despite the heavy police presence, the AAP leader had publicly committed to joining the demonstration alongside his family and encouraged others to participate in the protest. Following his detention, Mr. Kejriwal was transported in a police bus alongside other party leaders, including Sanjay Singh, as the demonstration against the Election Commission intensified.In a post shared on social media platform X prior to his detention, Mr. Kejriwal criticized the central government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, describing the security crackdown as being “worse than the Emergency.” He alleged that the current administration was suppressing democratic dissent. The detention of the AAP leader was part of a broader police action across the capital, which also saw the detention of other high-profile political figures, including former chief ministers Mamata Banerjee and Pinarayi Vijayan, who were reportedly involved in protests against the poll body’s conduct.The administrative response to the planned agitation led to widespread restrictions across Delhi, with authorities deploying high-tech surveillance and closing several metro stations. As the situation continues to unfold, political tensions remain high, with the Aam Aadmi Party condemning the arrests as an attempt to stifle opposition voices. The government has maintained its position on the necessity of these security measures, citing the need to prevent public disorder as the capital grapples with the ongoing fallout from the protest.