Scores of BJP members staged a protest outside the residence of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday demanding expulsion of sacked Cabinet Minister Sandeep Kumar from the AAP over an ‘objectionable’ CD in which he was purportedly shown in a compromising position with a woman.
Raising slogans against Kejriwal and Kumar and waving BJP flags, BJP party workers tried to march towards the Chief Minister’s residence in Civil lines area, but were stopped close to it by the police, which barricaded their entry.
Several partymen tried to cross over the barricade but were thwarted as police resorted to use of water cannons.
“We demand this AAP Minister’s (Sandeep Kumar) expulsion from the party on moral grounds. Previously too, few ministers have been sacked over one controversy or another, and this again shows the face of AAP,” a BJP leader said.
Meanwhile, members of National Students’ Union of India also staged a protest outside the AAP office demanding Kejriwal’s resignation and dissolution of the whole Cabinet.
Questioning the character of AAP MlAs and Ministers, NSUI said that every other day there is an incident like this against them. “Those who talked about improving the politics of India, their true face and character has been exposed. One after another, all of their MlAs and Ministers are finding themselves involved in scams and scandals. We demand resignation of the whole cabinet of Delhi Government and dismissal of the MlA (Sandeep Kumar) from the Delhi Assembly,” the protesters said.
Kumar, who held the portfolio of Social Welfare, was sacked on Wednesday by the Chief Minister over the ‘objectionable’ CD in which he was purportedly shown in a compromising position with a woman.
He is an MlA from Sultanpur Majra, a reserved seat, and a few locals also protested outside his residence and office over the controversial issue.
In a televised address on Thursday, Kejriwal said he was “saddened” by the incident but also felt “proud” that his party took immediate action and “did not try to put a veil on it or defend the accused, unlike what other political parties do.”
Reacting to the development, Delhi BJP had on Wednesday demanded Kejriwal’s resignation from his post accepting responsibility for picking up a “morally corrupt” MlA in the Cabinet.
“He must be rewarded for handing over Delhi’s governance to people with corrupt values,” city BJP leader Vijender Gupta had said mockingly, adding, “This has never happened in any government.”
Meanwhile, Kumar, who held Women and Child development portfolio, on Thursday alleged that he was being targeted under a “conspiracy” as he was a Dalit and demanded a probe into the issue.