AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday, 22 July 2026, issued a public appeal to the Central Government of India, urging it not to take any action against children who are staging a peaceful sit-in protest. Posting on X, Kejriwal warned against what he called a potential 'misadventure' by central authorities.

Context

In his post, Kejriwal asked directly: 'Kya Kendra Sarkar shaantipoornn dharna kar rahe bacchon par aaj crackdown karegi?' ('Will the Central Government crackdown today on children who are holding a peaceful dharna?'). He followed this with an appeal to the Centre, stating: 'I appeal to the Central Government not to carry out any such misadventure.' The post was accompanied by a video, which Kejriwal shared as part of the message.

The appeal reflects a recurring pattern in which AAP leadership publicly calls on the Union government to exercise restraint in handling protests within the national capital. Delhi has long been the site of jurisdictional friction between the elected state government and central authorities, who control the city's police force through the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Policy Backdrop

Under the constitutional framework governing Delhi, law and order — including policing — falls under the jurisdiction of the Central Government rather than the elected state assembly. This arrangement has historically led to disputes between the AAP-led administration and the BJP-led Union government over the management of public order situations, including protests.

AAP has previously issued similar appeals during demonstrations in Delhi, positioning itself as a defender of citizens' right to peaceful protest against what it characterises as heavy-handed central intervention. Kejriwal's framing of the children's dharna as 'shaantipoornn' (peaceful) is consistent with this political posture.

Stakeholders and Impact

The children staging the dharna are at the centre of this developing situation. Their welfare and the manner in which authorities respond will be closely watched by civil society, parents, and opposition parties. Any police action against minors would carry significant political and legal consequences.

The Delhi government under AAP has a stated interest in the outcome, even as it lacks direct control over policing. Kejriwal's public appeal is also a political signal, placing the moral burden of restraint squarely on the Central Government and Delhi Police ahead of any potential action.

What's Next

All eyes are now on the Ministry of Home Affairs and Delhi Police for an official response to Kejriwal's appeal and for any statement on how the children's protest will be managed. The coming hours are likely to determine whether the situation escalates or is resolved peacefully.

Should central authorities take any action against the protesters, it is expected to trigger a sharp political response from AAP and could intensify the ongoing friction between the party and the BJP-led Union government over governance of Delhi.