Modi govt planned to turn stadiums into jail: Kejriwal alleges

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal reminded farmers that the Modi government in the Centre wanted to turn Delhi stadiums into temporary jails to lodge protesting farmers, who marched to the national capital against three contentious farm laws, NDTV reported.

Addressing an event that honoured farmers, Kejriwal said that even he had come out of agitation, the "Anna Andolan". He was also kept in some stadiums along with his colleagues for days. "I understood that it is a ploy to end the Kisan andolan," he said.

Prominent farmers' leader Rakesh Tikait, who was one of the leaders of the massive agitation last year against contentious farm laws, which were eventually repealed, was also in attendance.

The Aam Aadmi Party national convenor said that if the farmers entering Delhi were detained in stadiums, their agitation would have been limited to the stadiums. But his government refused to convert stadiums into jails, and subsequently, the union government became furious. However, his government in Delhi stood with the farmers, Kejriwal said.

Further, he briefed how his Delhi government assisted the protesting farmers with langars, drinking water, toilet facilities etc. He added that his government did what it could, and it gave him pleasure in helping the "Kisan brothers".