empty-chairs-on-stage-for-jailed-hemant-soren-arvind-kejriwal-in-india-mega-rally

Two chairs remained empty as a show of respect for jailed political leaders, former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, at a mega rally organised by the opposition INDIA bloc at Ranchi on Sunday.

 

The ‘Ulgulan Nyay Mahrally’ (Ulgulan meaning revolution, and coined during independence activist Birsa Munda's fight against the British for tribal rights) was organised mainly by the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), with a large number of its workers wearing Soren masks.

 

Soren was arrested on the night of January 31 by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case linked to an alleged land fraud. ED also arrested Kejriwal on March 21 in connection with an excise fraud.

 

Even though their chairs remained empty, the JMM executive president and AAP supremo's wives, Kalpana Soren and Sunita Kejriwal, respectively, were seated on the dais, indicative perhaps of the larger role they were expected to play in the political arena. 

 

Braving scorching temperatures of around 40 degrees Celsius, the crowd at the venue raised slogans of "Jail ka tala tutega, Hemant Soren chutega” (Prison locks will be broken and Hemant Soren will be released) and “Jharkhand jhukega nahi” (Jharkhand will not bow down)." 

 

Other leaders at the venue included National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, RJD leader and former Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann. 

A total of 28 political parties are taking part in the rally, which is being held at the Prabhat Tara Ground and is meant to be a mega show of strength by the opposition parties in India.

 

Security arrangements have been beefed up with the deployment of additional forces in the capital in view of the rally.