New Delhi, May 11: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will visit the Hanuman Temple at Connaught Place today a day after he walked out of Tihar Jail after being granted interim bail by the Supreme Court. The Chief Minister is also scheduled to hold a press conference later in the day at the Aam Aadmi Party office in Delhi.
The Aam Admi Party national convenor said on Friday that he would also participate in a road show in South Delhi in the evening. Kejriwal spent over 50 days in Tihar Jail after being arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in an excise policy case on March 21, days after the election schedule for the general elections was announced.
The bail is applicable till June 1 and Kejriwal has to surrender to authorities on June 2. The Delhi CM can participate in the poll campaigning but can not attend his office as Chief Minister. "I had promised to come back soon, here I am," Kejriwal said while addressing supporters enroute his residence from jail on Friday.
"I want to thank all of you. Crores and crores of people across the country prayed for me. I want to thank the Supreme Court because of whom I'm standing here with you. I just have one request to make with all of you we should together save the country from dictatorship. I'm fighting and protesting against dictatorship with everything I have. But the 140 crore people have to fight against dictatorship," he added. Kejriwal's wife, Sunita Kejriwal, termed his bail as the victory of democracy.
"Hanuman ji ki jai. This is the victory of democracy. It is the result of the prayers and blessings of millions of people. Many thanks to everyone," she said in a post on X. Opposition parties belonging to the INDIA bloc across the country welcomed the Supreme Court's decision.
In a post on X, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata said, "I am very happy to see that Shri Arvind Kejriwal @ArvindKejriwal has got interim bail. It will be very helpful in the context of the current elections".Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge, "He was arrested at the time of elections and now the court has given this relief. Hope the government will not make such a mistake in the future."
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However, BJP leaders criticised the opposition and said that CM Kejriwal is not proven innocent but is out on bail till June 1. Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva said, "He has been granted bail for the election campaign till June 1 but what after that? Getting interim bail does not mean that you have been proven innocent. It will not affect the elections, BJP will win all 7 seats of Delhi."
Supreme Court lawyer Shadan Farasat representing Arvind Kejriwal said that the order is operable till June 2 adding that there are no restrictions on what he can say or not say in his election campaigning. The AAP supremo is likely to participate in the election campaigns of the party in the run-up to the general elections in Delhi scheduled to be held on May 25.