AAP leaders hold collective fast to protest against Arvind Kejriwal's arrest

Top leaders of Aam Aadmi Party AAP gathered at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on Sunday for a daylong fast to protest against the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister and the partys national convener Arvind Kejriwal reported news agency PTISimilar protests were being held in other states as well as by Indians abroad including at Harvard Square in Boston the Hollywood Sign in Los Angeles outside the Indian Embassy in Washington DC in New York Times Square and Toronto London and Melbourne among others party leaders said reported PTIChief Minister Bhagwant Mann in AAPruled Punjab joined a collective fast at freedom fighter Bhagat Singhs village Khatkar Kalan they said reported PTIMany senior AAP leaders including Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel Deputy Speaker Rakhi Bila ministers Atishi Gopal Rai and Imran Hussain attended the daylong Samuhik Upwas at Jantar Mantar in the national capital from 11 am reported PTIThe AAPs Delhi unit convener Gopal Rai appealed to people to join the fast to protest against Kejriwals arrest He alleged that Kejriwals arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in a case linked to the Delhi excise policylinked scam case was part of the BJPs conspiracy to finish the AAPKejriwal is in judicial custody till April 15Meanwhile former AAP MLA Sandeep Kumar has approached the Delhi High Court seeking the removal of arrested party leader Arvind Kejriwal from the post of chief minister of the national capitalThe petition is listed for hearing before Justice Subramonium Prasad on MondayIn his petition Kumar has said after his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate ED in connection with a moneylaundering case linked to the nowscrapped excise policy for Delhi Kejriwal has incurred an incapacity to carry out the chief ministers functions under the ConstitutionThe plea says the Aam Aadmi Party AAP leaders unavailability complicates the constitutional mechanism and he can never function as the chief minister from prison according to the mandate of the ConstitutionArticle 239AA4 of the Constitution provides for the Council of Ministers with the chief minister at the head to aid and advise the lieutenant governor in the exercise of his functions in relation to matters with respect to which the legislative Assembly has power to make laws The aid and advice to the lieutenant governor are practically not possible without the chief minister being a free person available to render his aid and advice under the Constitution the petition saysIssue a writ of quo warranto against Respondent No1 ie Mr Arvind Kejriwal the incumbent chief minister of Delhi by calling upon him to show by what authority qualification and title he holds the office of the chief minister of Delhi under Article 239AA of the Constitution and after an inquiry dislodge him from the office of the chief minister of Delhi with or without the retrospective effect the petition praysWith inputs from PTI