The BJP and the Congress joined the chorus in criticising Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s dharna to press for the suspension of five Delhi cops. The political parties termed the move as ‘anarchic’ and said the Government could not be run from streets.
They alleged that the dharna was aimed at shielding Delhi law Minister Somnath Bharti against whom a court has ordered registration of an FIR for illegally detaining and molesting four African women.
Slamming the agitation as ‘anarchic and a gimmick’, the BJP said the AAP should give up its ‘mock fight’ with ‘ally’ Congress. It also advised Kejriwal to take up the issues regarding conduct of police with the Centre. Criticising the ‘confrontationist route’ adopted by the AAP, the BJP insisted that the party cannot bring Delhi and its administration on streets. “The situation we have seen today on the streets of Delhi is anarchic. This is a mock-fight between the AAP and its ally Congress. Such an agitation, which is taking place near Rajpath, where the Republic Day rehearsals are on, affects the aam admi (common man) and both the parties are responsible for it,” said BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman.
“This is a Government which is like a fish out of water in Delhi Secretariat and is hence out on streets reliving its activist days rather than running the administration,” she said. The main Opposition expressed strong disagreement with Kejriwal’s contention that police should shed their uniform and join the agitation. Delhi BJP president Vijay Goel too termed the protest a ‘political drama’ to divert attention of the people from real issues on which it has failed to deliver. Meanwhile, to protest against the AAP’s style of functioning and to demand resignation of law Minister Somnath Bharti, the Delhi BJYM will hold a demonstration at Jantar Mantar on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Delhi Congress president Arvinder Singh lovely threatened the AAP of withdrawing support if the party continued to govern the Capital in such an ‘unconstitutional way.’ “A very unusual situation has come up in Delhi. People who are supposed to protect the Constitution are trying to destroy it. It seems that the AAP wants to implement the Rowlatt Act of the British Era,” said lovely.
He said Kejriwal’s protest aimed only to defend and protect his ministers. “When you are running a government, you have to do it according to the law. It is very unfortunate that the CM has left all his work, and is sitting on a dharna just to suspend three police officers, and defend his Ministers,” he added. He criticised Kejriwal of being incapable of running a government.