AAP Dharna in Delhi: Arvind Kejriwal Calls Off March After Delhi Police Stops Agitators At Parliament Street; Sit-in Continues
The protest, which was spurred by participation of CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury and several other opposition Chief ministers was called off after Delhi Police stopped the protesters at Parliament Street.
New Delhi, June 18: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday managed to stage a protest march but failed to reach its avowed destination - 7 Lok Kalyan Marg, the Prime Minister's residence. The protest, which was spurred by participation of CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury and several other opposition Chief ministers was called off after Delhi Police stopped the protesters at Parliament Street.
On Sunday, AAP leaders began the protest march from Mandi House but were stopped at Parliament Street police station, way behind the finishing line - 7, LKM. The march took place amid ongoing sit-in by party supremo and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his two cabinet colleagues at the lieutenant governor's office. Reports informed that nearly 30,000 Karamcharis of the MCD, which is under the BJP since 15 years had turned up in support of AAP government.
Kejriwal took to Twitter and informed that Satyendra Jain who was protesting along with other AAP leaders, fell ill on Sunday night and had to be admitted in a hospital.
Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government has accused the Centre of misusing its powers to stop Delhi government from working. Kejriwal with his deputy Manish Sisodia, ministers Satyendar Jain and Gopal Rai, is sitting at the office of Lt Governor Anil Baijal for past one week, demanding him to direct IAS officers to end their "strike" and approve doorstep delivery scheme of his government.
Lok Kalyan Marg metro station, which falls in the vicinity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg was the first to have been shut ahead of the march. The AAP leaders said that their ‘sit-in at the lieutenant governor's office for the last seven days in their fight against the "dictatorship" of Modi government.
Ahead of the protest on Sunday, the Delhi Police tweeted saying that no permission was sought for it, even as AAP leaders alleged that party supporters were being prevented from taking part in the rally.
In a tweet during the march, Kejriwal said the people were feeling "hurt and humiliated" and asked the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to allow Delhi government to work. "Sir, not only Delhi, but the entire country is appealing you - please allow the elected government to work and get these IAS officers strike to end. People are feeling hurt and humiliated," he tweeted.
In his appeal to officers of Delhi government, Kejriwal said IAS officers should work without fear or pressure and should not come under pressure by the state of central government. Take a look at his tweet:
In wake of the protest, five prime metro stations in the heart of Delhi were shut. They also demand that the Lt Governor approve the proposal for doorstep delivery of ration. On Friday, Kejriwal had said that the march was planned after his letters to the prime minister, seeking his intervention in the matter, drew no response.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 18, 2018 09:08 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).