Kejriwal Says His Children Marched to Parliament in Protest
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday, 21 July 2026, revealed that his two children participated in the previous day's student protest march toward Parliament in New Delhi, disclosing that they were present at the location where police deployed tear gas shells.
In a post on X, Kejriwal wrote in Hindi: 'कल के प्रोटेस्ट में मेरे दोनों बच्चे सभी छात्रों के साथ कदम से कदम मिला कर संसद मार्च कर रहे थे।' ('In yesterday's protest, both my children marched step by step with all the students toward Parliament.') He added that the spot where tear gas shells were fired was precisely where his children were standing.
Context
The disclosure places Kejriwal's personal family squarely within a student-led demonstration that took place on 20 July 2026 near Parliament Street, New Delhi. The march was part of a broader wave of student mobilisation that has drawn large numbers of young people to the capital during the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament.
Police use of tear gas to manage the crowd prompted immediate political reaction. Kejriwal's post, which accompanied a video, underscored the personal dimension of his response by identifying his own children among those exposed to the crowd-control measure.
Policy Backdrop
Student marches toward Parliament have a documented history in Indian politics. During 2019–2020, large-scale demonstrations against the Citizenship Amendment Act saw similar scenes near the Parliament complex, with police deploying tear gas and other crowd-control tools. Opposition parties, including AAP, have consistently framed such responses as evidence of the central government's approach to managing dissent.
AAP, founded in 2012, built much of its early identity around street-level protest and anti-establishment activism. Kejriwal himself rose to national prominence through protest politics before entering electoral contests. His willingness to invoke his children's participation signals an effort to connect the current agitation to that foundational identity.
Stakeholders and Impact
University and college students form the core constituency of the march. Their grievances — which the post does not specify — have drawn solidarity from opposition parties during a session of Parliament when legislative business and street politics are running in parallel.
The use of tear gas, if confirmed by authorities or independent accounts, is likely to intensify demands for accountability directed at Delhi Police, which operates under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Civil liberties groups and student unions are expected to amplify Kejriwal's account in the coming days.
What's Next
Attention will now turn to whether Delhi Police or the Ministry of Home Affairs issues a formal response to the allegations regarding tear gas deployment. Opposition parties may raise the matter inside Parliament during the monsoon session, converting street protest into floor debate.
Kejriwal's post is likely to be followed by further statements from AAP leaders as the party seeks to sustain public attention on the protest and its aftermath. How the ruling dispensation responds — or declines to respond — will shape the political temperature around the student movement in the days ahead.