NEW DELHI: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal refused to relent and insisted on spending the night at the protest venue even as he urged public and honest police personnel to join him in large number and demand police reforms.
Earlier, Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde met the PM and apprised him of the situation after the CM began a 10-day dharna along with ministers and MLAs.
Shinde had earlier said no action could be taken until an enquiry is complete. Kejriwal said that is unacceptable. The day-long protest led to traffic congestion and shutdown of four metro stations in the heart of the city.
With Republic Day less than a week away, security forces are poised to take over the area. But Kejriwal defied Section 144 imposed in the area and began dharna there as police kept pleading to shift the protest venue to Jantar Mantar but to no avail.
Earlier, the CM had condemned police action for beating one of his party MLAs brutally and detaining the Transport Minister in the day time.
“Some people say that I’m an anarchist creating disorder. Yes, I’m an anarchist,” Kejriwal shouted Monday morning after he was stopped by police from driving upto the Home Ministry. His sit-in is being held just an 10-minute walk away.
The CM had first demanded suspension of three police officers involved in a face-off between Delhi Law Minister and police officers who had refused to raid of a house despite his orders.
The minister had complained to the police that some Nigerian nationals were running prostitution and selling drugs at a house in Khirki Extn. But police refused to conduct the raid citing lack of appropriate permission. This led to a face-off between the two in public, widely reported live by the TV media.