NEW DELHI: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal alleged on Tuesday that he had been placed under ‘house arrest’ to prevent him for visiting the main protest site to show solidarity with the agitating farmers, a claim emphatically denied by Delhi Police.
Drama ensued as Kejriwal’s cabinet minister and AAP MLAs and workers gathered outside the CM’s house in the morning and were stopped by the heavy police force present there, who had barricaded the main entrance. Agitated AAP workers started sloganeering and staged a sit-in protest.
Deputy CM Manish Sisodia led the charge against the police, accusing them of converting the CM’s residence into a prison. “We are not being allowed inside by Delhi Police. And yet they are lying that there’s no house arrest… Arvind Kejriwalji foiled their intention to jail the farmers. Now they are scared that he will come out to lend support to the farmers’ bandh,” he tweeted.
The police, however, claimed the road leading to Kejriwal’s residence was barricaded to avoid any clash between AAP leaders and the BJP workers who had already been on a sit-in protest at the main gate since Monday night. “This claim of CM Delhi being put on house arrest is false and baseless,” the DCP, North Delhi, tweeted.
After hours of drama, the AAP leaders were allowed to meet the CM. Kejriwal said the Centre tried its best to ensure he does not step out. “The Bharat bandh was very successful. I also planned to visit the protest site to show my support as a common man, but they got to know about my plan and did not let me go.”