Terming the Delhi Police's prohibitory order against Navratri as "Tughlaqi Farman" , AAP leader and Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Tuesday condemned it and sought its immediate withdrawal. He also criticized the Lt Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena for mishandling the law and order situation and demanded his resignation. According to Bharadwaj, this decree has sparked outrage as it aims to curtail upcoming religious festivities without any basis to do so.
The Delhi Police had on Monday issued a prohibitory order against any protests or gathering of five or more persons in the central and bordering areas of the city for the next six days citing law and order issues. The order was issued under the section 163 (earlier section 144 of CrPC) of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita.
Bharadwaj said there is widespread chaos and panic in the city because the Delhi Police has suddenly issued this arbitrary decree , creating a near-curfew-like situation in most parts of Delhi in the coming days.
Referring to the ongoing ‘Shradh’ period, Bharadwah talked about how throughout this time, people don't buy any new goods and would only start visiting markets with the onset of the Navratri which starts from 3rd November this year. “People observe fasts, go to markets and shop, visit temples, regularly during the Navratris. It is a matter of fact that anyone living in Delhi would know that during this time bhandaras are organized in various places across Delhi, but since the LG is not from Delhi, he isn’t aware of the culture of the city," he added.
The minister further said this ‘Tughlaqi Farman’ issued today by the LG-controlled Delhi Police is shameful, and the people of Delhi will not accept this. “If the LG thinks that by doing this, Ramleelas in Delhi will stop, or that Jagran or Mata Ki Puja won’t be organised, that's not going to happen. I request him to withdraw this order." Bharadwaj hit out at LG Saxena and demanded his resignation, saying he was not able to handle the law and order of the city. "This order is laughable and irresponsible; it has been issued to ban the festivals of Hindus, create chaos and harass Delhi people," the Delhi Minister said. When elections can be held in Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana, then why can't a festival be held without restriction, he asked.
Bharadwaj said that even BJP leaders were not safe in the city and cited an extortion message a leader of the party in Uttam Nagar received.
He said, "Please resign immediately, and go back to where you cast your vote. Delhi doesn’t need you. Imposing restrictions on festivals is shameful. People are saying - GO BACK LG Saab. I appeal to the central government to send the LG they appointed back to Gujarat and take his resignation."
AAP national convener and former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in a post on X said that he was "very concerned" over the "deteriorating" law and order situation in the capital.
Delhi Police has imposed prohibitory orders under section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) at several places in Delhi for the next six days over the intelligence inputs that some unsocial elements may attempt to create a nuisance in the first week of October.
Under section 163 of the BNSS (formerly section 144 of CrPc), there will be a prohibition on certain things, which include assembly of five or more unauthorised persons, carrying of fire-arms, banners, placards, lathis, spears, swords, sticks, brickbats etc., pocketing or dharnas in any public area etc.
Commissioner Sanjay Arora, through an official order, conveyed that inputs were received that multiple organisations have given calls for holding and organising various events in the nature of protests, demonstrations and campaigns in the territory of Delhi from September 30 till October 5.
“The general atmosphere in Delhi is sensitive from a law and order point of view due to various current issues like prevailing communal atmosphere in view of the proposed Waqf Amendment Bill and issue of Shahi Idgah in Sadar Bazaar area, politically surcharged issue of MCD Standing Committee elections and, pending declaration of results of DUSU Elections etc.,” the Commissioner said. There will be heavy movement of VVIPs and dignitaries on October 2, Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary.
In the order, Arora mentioned that the Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana legislative assembly elections are underway, and thus, there is a need to continuously “check on movement of persons”.
