Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders, including its MlAs and councillors who took to street on Monday, protesting against the ongoing sealing drive in the markets of national Capital, were detained by the Delhi Police while marching on their way to Parliament from Patel Chowk Metro Station.
The AAP alleged that the Delhi Police used coercion resorting to ‘lathi-charge’ in order to nail-down the protesters, sparing not even the women. The protesters were detained at Parliament Street Police Station for a short while only to be released afterwards. Among those detained were AAP leaders Ashutosh, Richa Pandey and Dilip Pandey and others.
The mood of the party workers was apparently upbeat on Monday morning when they started to gather outside the Patel Chowk Metro Station ahead of the march. The protesters were holding placards and shouting slogans against the MCDs, Central Government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, holding the trio responsible for the ‘plight’ of traders affected due to sealing.
However, as they went ahead with their march, things took an ‘ugly turn’ for them when they were forcefully stopped by police personnel from reaching the Parliament gate. Protesting against the alleged use of force by the Delhi Police, the AAP took to twitter posting videos and photographs of those injured during the action and slammed the Delhi Police. According to the AAP, some of their senior leaders were allegedly manhandled by the Delhi Police personnel.
“The Delhi Police mercilessly beat up Ashutosh at the protest march against sealing of markets in Delhi. He was forced into Parliamentary Street Police Station using a rope. MlAs and councillors were protesting peacefully but the Delhi Police started unprovoked lathicharge and beat up female volunteers,” said AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj.
“MlAs and MCD councillors were protesting peacefully against sealing by the MCD, the Delhi Police started unprovoked lathi-charge. Men of the Delhi Police beat up female volunteers of AAP,” tweeted Saurabh Bharadwaj.
“The Delhi Police personnel misbehave with @richapandey and @ashutosh83B who were leading a peaceful protest against BJP-sponsored sealing in different Delhi markets,” tweeted Nagendar Sharma, spokesperson of the Delhi Government.
Police denied the allegation and said some party MlAs were detained for defying prohibitory orders around Parliament as the Budget Session was underway and permission had not been taken to hold the march.
The AAP is demanding that Central Government should immediately bring an ordinance to stop the ongoing sealing drive. They are also demanding a suitable amendment to the Master Plan 2021 considered at the helm of all affairs related to the sealing.