Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will address a public meeting in Delhi with his Punjab counterpart and party colleague Bhagwant Mann over the arrests in the poster controversy. The meeting will be held at 2 pm on Thursday at Jantar Mantar.
Six people were arrested on Wednesday and 49 FIRs were filed by the Delhi Police in the case of the posters that were put up around the city against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to a senior police officer. Earlier, the police had reported that 100 FIRs had been lodged, but they later revised the figure.
The posters, which read "Modi Hatao, Desh Bachao" (Remove Modi, Save the Nation), were discovered glued to walls and power poles throughout the city. The owners of two printing presses, who were arrested for not providing the details of their printing presses on the posters, are among the six people who were apprehended, reported news agency PTI. An investigation is currently underway to determine if any members of the Aam Aadmi Party were involved in the incident, according to the police. The FIRs have been filed under the Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Property Act and the Press and Registration of Books Act.
During a post-budget press conference, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal referred to PM Modi as "insecure" and "afraid" in response to the police's action. He also stated, "This is a regular poster, and anyone can put it up in a democracy. Why is Modi ji so frightened that they had to file an FIR over a poster?" Delhi Minister Gopal Rai also criticized the city police during the press conference, and stated, "If the legacy of freedom fighters is to be saved, there is only one way -- 'Modi Hatao, Desh Bachao.'"
The police said that around 20,000 posters have been seized so far, including 2,050 found in a car after it exited the Aam Aadmi Party headquarters on DDU Marg. The vehicle was seized and its driver was apprehended.