The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) marked Shaheedi Diwas with great fervor at its headquarters on Sunday, paying homage to the indomitable spirit of Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev. The event, ‘Ek Shaam, Shaheedon Ke Naam,’ saw AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal leading the tributes as the chief guest of the program by offering flowers on the portraits of the martyrs, reaffirming Bhagat Singh’s enduring presence in the hearts of India’s youth.
Senior AAP leaders, including Manish Sisodia, MP Sanjay Singh, and Delhi Assembly LoP Atishi, AAP Delhi State President Saurabh Bharadwaj, Gopal Rai, all office bearers, MLAs, candidates, councilors and a large number of karyakartas joined the commemoration, which began with a devotional music program and floral tributes to the martyrs.
Sharing a few snippets from the ceremony on X, AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal stated: “Paid tribute at the party office today on the martyrdom day of Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, and Rajguru. Even today, Bhagat Singh resides in the hearts of every Indian youth. We have considered him our ideal and will continue to serve the nation by following his ideology.”
On this occasion, AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal stated that we have gathered here to pay tribute to our ideal, Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh. He said, “Today is observed as Shaheed Diwas (Martyrs’ Day) because, on this very day, the British hanged three great freedom fighters—Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, and Rajguru. They embraced the noose with a smile. Their sacrifice inspired not just the entire country but people around the world. It has been nearly a 100 years since then, yet even today, every young person in India carries Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh in their heart.”
The AAP Supremo highlighted, stating, “We consider Bhagat Singh and Babasaheb Ambedkar as our ideals. Bhagat Singh once said that his objective was not just to drive the British out of the country but to create a new society where everyone has equal rights, where the poor get their due, where no one remains impoverished, where everyone receives quality education and healthcare, and where there is no discrimination based on caste or religion. He warned that if such a society was not built, the British would leave, but Indian oppressors would replace them. He foresaw this a hundred years ago,” he added.
Arvind Kejriwal emphasised that the dreams for which freedom fighters sacrificed their lives and endured extreme torture remain unfulfilled. He said, “In fact, the country is moving in the opposite direction. For example, when Bhagat Singh was in jail, he wrote letters to his father, his comrades, and many others. The British authorities censored and read those letters before sending them out. But, they were still allowed to be sent even though they consisted of scathing things against the British themselves.”
The AAP Chief recollected, “While I was in jail, I wrote a two-line letter to the Lieutenant Governor (LG). At that time, I was still the Chief Minister and had not resigned. As August 15 approached, I was concerned about who would hoist the national flag in my absence, as usually the CM hoists it. So, I wrote to the LG, requesting that Minister Atishi be given the honor of hoisting the flag. There was nothing controversial or illegal about this letter. It was a simple, formal request.”
“I handed it over to the jail superintendent, asking him to review it and forward it after necessary checks. But the letter was never sent to the LG. Instead, the very next day, I received a show-cause notice asking how I dared to write such a letter and threatening to revoke my jail privileges,” he shared.
After receiving a show-cause notice for that letter, the former Delhi CM wondered—was this the freedom our freedom fighters fought for? He stressed that even the British allowed Bhagat Singh to write letters freely, yet, “My simple two-line letter led to a show-cause notice. This means they are worse than the British. If Bhagat Singh’s soul is watching from above, he must be crying and wondering is this what he gave away his life for.”
Arvind Kejriwal added, “AAP’s two ideals are Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh and Babasaheb Ambedkar and even in my home, in the room where I sit, I have their portraits. The same was true for all offices of the Delhi government. In Punjab, every government office, including those of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and his ministers, has their portraits. But what was the first thing the new government in Delhi did? Within 48 hours of taking power, they removed the portraits of Babasaheb Ambedkar and Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh, as if that was the most urgent task.”
“We had expected that within 24 hours of forming the government, they would announce the ₹2,500 monthly allowance for women, provide free gas cylinders on Holi, or fulfill other promises. Instead, their priority was to remove these portraits and replace them with their own leaders’ pictures. This deeply pained me. I ask—can anyone in this country make a greater sacrifice than Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh and Babasaheb Ambedkar? They gave their lives for this nation, would we erase their legacy like this,” he questioned.
Comparing Congress’s reaction to these portraits being put up by the AAP and removed by the BJP, the AAP Supremo stated, “When we had first decided to put up these portraits, Congress had strongly criticized us, accusing us of insulting Mahatma Gandhi by not displaying his portrait. But when the BJP removed Bhagat Singh and Babasaheb Ambedkar’s portraits, Congress remained silent. This shows that they care for neither Mahatma Gandhi nor Bhagat Singh; they are in collusion with the BJP. They didn’t voice a single word against the BJP.”
Arvind Kejriwal slammed the BJP for putting restrictions on free bus travel for women, saying, “Just today, I saw a video on social media. A woman boarded a bus and asked for a pink ticket, but the conductor refused, saying that he had orders from above stating women with mobile phones must use an app to get tickets. How many women can download an app? How will they get tickets? The Prime Minister had assured that no existing benefits would be stopped, yet restrictions are being imposed. I appeal to him—your greatness lies in introducing new welfare measures, not taking away existing ones.”
He emphasised that lakhs of women travel daily in Delhi’s buses. Many have been able to take up jobs, start businesses, or pursue higher education because of free bus travel. If this facility is taken away, it will cause immense hardship. They (BJP) promised ₹2,500 in women’s accounts by March 8—people kept waiting. They promised free gas cylinders for Holi—people kept waiting. Instead of fulfilling these promises, they are deceiving the public.
The AAP National Convenor made a special appeal to every AAP worker on this Shaheedi Diwas, stressing, “Our party was not formed for power or money. We are here to fulfill the dreams of Babasaheb Ambedkar and Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh. This will not happen easily. It will require immense sacrifices, struggles, and determination. Today, every AAP worker is fighting—on the streets, in the Assembly, in Parliament. When Sanjay Singh roars in Parliament, the entire nation listens because he is fighting for justice.”
Arvind Kejriwal concluded by saying, “I am confident that when history is written, it will record that the Aam Aadmi Party was the only party that stood up against these cruel rulers and fought for the people.”
Those who are 24-carat gold stand with AAP and Arvind Kejriwal: Saurabh Bharadwaj
Senior AAP leader and Delhi State President Saurabh Bharadwaj likened Arvind Kejriwal’s electoral defeat in New Delhi Assembly to the way Abhimanyu was trapped and deceived in the Chakravyuh (maze). He said, “The way Arvind Kejriwal was defeated in New Delhi feels like how Abhimanyu was surrounded and slain through deception. People often ask, now that the party has just faced an electoral loss, won’t rebuilding the organisation be difficult? But I see it differently.”
He elaborated, “When a goldsmith melts gold, he determines how much of it is actual gold and how much is brass. In the heat of the furnace, the gold separates from the brass. After this election, the gold has come to us, and the brass has moved away. Those who are 24-carat gold stand with AAP and Arvind Kejriwal. Earlier, we had to put in effort to figure out who was truly with us. Now, there’s no need. Our doors are open—whoever stands with us after defeat is here to stay.”
They conspired to trap Abhimanyu, but he will return stronger: Gopal Rai
Senior AAP leader and Gujarat Prabhari Gopal Rai emphasised the party’s growth despite challenges. He said, “AAP was born out of a movement to fulfil the dreams of our martyrs. We take pride in the fact that with new determination, AAP has expanded from Delhi to Punjab, then to Goa, Gujarat, and now Jammu and Kashmir. Today, we have made our mark in five states, becoming a national party and taking our struggle to new heights.”
He asserted, “Those who want to crush the Constitution and the dreams of our martyrs to impose their dictatorship are unsettled by AAP’s rise. They created a Chakravyuh around us. AAP fights for people’s rights, dignity, and freedom. If we continue to grow at this pace, they will lose miserably in elections. Out of this fear, they hatched a conspiracy. The whole of Delhi saw how they orchestrated this conspiracy during the Assembly elections.”
Gopal Rai emphasised, “They tried to trap and destroy Abhimanyu, but he is alive and will return with full strength. The strength of this Abhimanyu comes from martyrs like Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev, who fought against British tyranny. Delhiites have given AAP 43% of the vote. We will take to the streets to fight for their rights.”
People were elated by patriotic songs
The event ‘Ek Shaam Shaheedon Ke Naam’ began with the song ‘Aisa Desh Hai Mera, Aisa Bhesh Hai Mera.’ Singer Puneet and his team paid tribute to Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev through a series of Punjabi patriotic songs. The atmosphere grew charged as AAP leaders, workers, and the public in attendance were deeply moved. The entire party office courtyard resonated with these songs, and the energy was so high that people spontaneously broke into chants of ‘Inquilab Zindabad’ and ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai.’ As the evening progressed, one song after another kept the patriotic fervour alive.
