NEW DELHI: BJP workers staged a protest outside the AAP office, demanding action against the party’s MCD councillor from Trilokpuri over the alleged suicide of a sanitation worker.
The protesters, including Lok Sabha MP Yogender Chandoliya and Delhi BJP vice-president Sunil Yadav, demanded that AAP leaders expel councillor Vijay Kumar from the party. The BJP alleged that Deepak, a sanitation worker with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), was driven to take his own life after facing financial difficulties allegedly linked to the councillor.
Deepak’s wife and minor daughter accompanied the BJP leaders during the protest. The BJP accused Kumar of harassment and abetment of suicide and demanded his dismissal. No immediate reaction was available from the AAP or the councillor.
Police detained four protesters—Chandoliya, MLAs Ravi Kant Ujjainwal and Ravinder Negi, and Councillor Priyanka Gautam—at Tilak Marg police station. They were later released. “Why are Arvind Kejriwal, Saurabh Bharadwaj and Kuldeep Kumar silent despite serious allegations against AAP Councillor Vijay Kumar of financially harassing an MCD sanitation worker and allegedly driving him to suicide?” Chandoliya asked.
According to a Delhi BJP statement, workers from the Mayur Vihar district, along with thousands of Delhi BJP office-bearers and others, participated in the protest.
“Any form of injustice, exploitation or financial harassment of sanitation workers will not be tolerated,” Chandoliya said, adding that BJP workers would continue their protest, demanding an impartial investigation, action against those responsible and justice for the victim’s family.