AAP Leader Challenges Detention, Calls for Mass Protest at Jantar Mantar

Saurabh Bhardwaj, a senior AAP functionary, issued the appeal from a police vehicle following his detention during what the party characterized as a non-violent protest in the national capital. In a video message shared on social media, Bhardwaj questioned the rationale behind the police action, emphasizing that demonstrators had maintained peaceful conduct throughout the event.

The AAP leader was detained alongside MLA Sanjeev Jha, with both officials challenging the legality and justification of their arrest. Bhardwaj's statement from the police van underscored the party's assertion that security forces overstepped their mandate by preventing the assembly and detaining participants.

The incident reflects mounting tensions between the AAP and Delhi police over protest rights in the capital. The party has leveraged the detention to mobilize supporters, with Bhardwaj's appeal to congregate at the iconic Jantar Mantar venue signaling the AAP's intent to persist with demonstrations despite police action.

The detention raises fresh questions about the limits of dissent and the application of security protocols during public assemblies in Delhi, an issue that has periodically triggered political controversy in the city.