Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal slammed Lt Governor Anil Baijal for allegedly removing two Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs from his office in Raj Niwas on Tuesday. Kejriwal called the alleged use of force by Delhi Police as “bizarre”.
In a tweet, Arvind Kejriwal said, “Two MLAs evicted forcefully using police by LG? Just becoz they wanted to meet him? What is this going on? Why is LG refusing to meet MLAs, MPs, ministers, CM? Does LG know that he has a constitutional duty to meet them? He has no choice but to meet them? This is bizarre.”
Two MLAs evicted forcefully using police by LG? Just becoz they wanted to meet him?
What is this going on? Why is LG refusing to meet MLAs, MPs, ministers, CM?
Does LG know that he has a constitutional duty to meet them? He has no choice but to meet them?
This is bizarre. https://t.co/equwUJSbQz
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) June 19, 2018
Kejriwal’s tweet came after AAP MLA Somnath Bharti alleged that he along with MLA SK Bagga, who were “seeking an appointment” to meet the L-G Baijal, were allegedly removed by police from the L-G office. They were at the L-G’s office to attend a DDA meeting.
Bharti alleged that he was “ousted” from the L-G office by a heavy police force.
“Ashamed that Honble LG in place of hearing us out for 2 min used heavy police led by ACP Sri Tyagi to oust us from LG House. Possibly the most potent democratic tool namely dialogue has no place in the Modi era,” he tweeted.
Ashamed that Honble LG in place of hearing us out for 2 min used heqvy police led by ACP Sri Tyagi to oust us from LG House. Possibly the most potent democratic tool namely dialogue has no place in the Modi era. pic.twitter.com/OB6NEbpDUr
— Adv. Somnath Bharti (@attorneybharti) June 19, 2018
Bharti said along with Bagga, AAP’s Krishna Nagar MLA, he was waiting in the conference room of L-G office after furnishing a letter seeking an appointment with Baijal.
He said he wanted to meet the L-G for the “deadlock” in Delhi but was asked to move out and later “ousted” with the help of police.
However, the Raj Niwas claimed in a statement, “After the meeting ended, MLAs Somnath Bharti and S K Bagga, who came to attend the meeting, refused to leave the residential premises of the Lt Governor, on the pretext of joining the ‘dharna’ of the chief minister.”
The two MLAs were “repeatedly requested” to end their “unauthorised occupation” of the residential premises of the Lt Governor, the statement from the Raj Niwas said.
“They refused to leave and continued with their unauthorised occupation for about two hours and left only after considerable persuasion,” it added.
Meanwhile, the Raj Niwas statement said, Lt Governor Anil Baijal chaired the DDA meeting to consider the public suggestions and comments which were sought on the issue of the proposed amendments in the Master Plan of Delhi (MPD) 2021.
(With agency inputs)