NEW DELHI: BJP leaders and workers, including candidates from the city Lok Sabha seats, carrying placards and raising slogans against the AAP dispensation, took to the streets on Wednesday, staging a massive protest at Deen Dayal Upadhyay (DDU) Marg demanding immediate resignation of incarcerated Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal from his post.
To contain the situation from spiralling out of control, several BJP workers were detained by the police, officials said. The police also resorted to water cannons in a bid to disperse the protesting crowd after they tried to break through the barricades and attempted to move towards the AAP headquarters, located on DDU Marg.
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva was injured in the police action. According to party workers, Sachdeva got injured when the police used water cannons to disperse the protesters following which he was rushed to Ram Manohar Lohia hospital where he is currently receiving treatment.
Sachdeva was on top a police barricade and attempting to cross over when he was hit by the gushing waters from the water cannons. He fell down on the road, fainting amindst a crowd of party workers who immediately secured him and took him aside to administer first aid, following which he was transported to the hospital in a vehicle.
“We used mild force to disperse the protesters. No one suffered any injury,” a senior police officer said.
Before the police action began, Sachdeva, while speaking to the press, said Kejriwal has lost all moral right to continue as the Chief Minister of Delhi. “After the liquor scam, Jal Board scam, education scam, and after yesterday’s decision by the high court (rejecting Kejriwal’s plea challenging his arrest), he has no reason to sit on that chair. He ashould resign immediately” he said.
In view of the protest by Delhi BJP workers, the police had maintained adequate security arrangements and sealed off DDU Marg on both sides with barricades. Traffic police had also issued an advisory for commuters to avoid the stretch and plan their journey accordingly. The complete road was secured by the police and multiple teams of the Rapid Action Force were deployed.
“In view of the protest at DDU Marg on April 10, traffic will remain heavy at IP Marg, Vikas Marg, Minto Road and Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg. DDU Marg may remain closed for traffic movement from 11 am to 2 pm. Kindly avoid these roads and plan your journey accordingly,” traffic police had said on social media.
Chief Minister Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21 in the alleged excise scam. Since March 21, he has remained in custody, initially under the ED’s jurisdiction and subsequently at Tihar Jail.
Traffic comes to a crawl
Central Delhi witnessed massive traffic snarls on Wednesday as roads towards DDU Marg were blocked due to the BJP’s protest demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who has been arrested in the excise policy case. Commuters faced a harrowing time in the ITO areas as traffic moved at a snail’s pace. The Delhi Traffic Police issued a traffic advisory ahead of a BJP protest, saying traffic will remain heavy at IP Marg, Vikas Marg, Minto Road and Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg. DDU Marg may remain closed for traffic movement from 11 am to 2 pm.