NEW DELHI: As Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and three of his ministers continue with their sit-in protest at Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal’s office, Aam Aadmi Party workers Sunday simultaneously launched a march from Mandi House to the PM’s residence in support.
The protest against an alleged strike by bureaucrats in the state by the ministers, including Manish Sisodia, Stayendar Jain and Gopal Rai, entered its seventh day on Sunday. Delhi government claims that Indian Administrative Service (IAS) bureaucrats have been on a “strike” since February, when two AAP MLAs allegedly assaulted chief secretary Anshu Prakash during a meeting at Kejriwal’s residence.
About five Delhi metro stations — Central Secretariat, Patel Chowk, Udyog Bhawan, Janpath and Lok Kalyan Marg were closed hours before the march, preventing the AAP supporters to reach the protest venue. Heavy police was also deployed at the Parliament Street.
AAP workers claimed the police had stopped supporters from joining the march. However, the police said the ruling party did not have the required permission to conduct a march.
“The call given by AAP to march towards the PM’s office or residence is without permission,” a police official was quoted as saying by PTI. “No permission has been applied for. As such the areas under New Delhi district are under prohibitory orders.”
Meanwhile, the IAS association has refuted the claims posed by AAP that they were on strike.
In a press conference on June 17 here, IAS Association secretary Manisha Saxena denied the allegation stating it as completely false and baseless.
“We are attending meetings. All departments are doing their works. We are sometimes also working on holidays,” Saxena said.
Attacking the AAP, Delhi transport minister Varsha Joshi said that the IAS officers are being used for “political reasons”. She said, “Let us do our work. We are feeling frightened and victimised. We are being used for completely political reasons.”