The Delhi Police has filed a case against the installation of a banner saying ‘I Love Manish Sisodia’ at the gate of a Delhi government school in northeast Delhi’s Shastri Park area on Saturday.
The local residents protested when the banner was being put up on Friday morning, following which they lodged a complaint with the police. The complaint was lodged by a local resident, Diwakar Pandey, for which the Delhi Police has registered a case under Section 3 of the Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Property Act in Shastri Park Police Station.
The School Management Committee (SMC) Coordinator Gazala along with the school principal got the banner fixed on the school gate.
While talking to ANI, the complainant, Diwakar Pandey, said, “On March 3, between 8-8.30 am, some Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers were putting up a banner above the gate of the government school in Shastri Park. First, they took out a desk from the school. Brought it outside and climbed on it and started putting a poster of ‘I love Manish Sisodia’ on the gate, to which people objected and said that this is a temple of education, keep it away from politics.”
“We even asked them if they had permission. They claimed to be related to MLA Abdul Rehman. After this, a person contacted the MLA and asked him if he had given permission and the MLA replied with a yes. We know the MLA is lying as such permission is never given for a school to be used for some political gains.” Pandey added.
The complainant stated that the banner was removed after the people protested.
He said, “The problem is that children were made to write ‘I love Manish Sisodia’. Our culture does not allow all these things.”
“They are trying to brainwash the children. We asked the principal, but he failed to recognize the seriousness of the matter, after which I lodged a complaint. The police have registered a case taking cognizance and assured that the culprits will be punished,” he added.
While talking to ANI, a local resident Durgesh Tiwari said, “Some AAP workers had come here and put the ‘I Love Sisodia’ banner on the gate and called the children who were coming to school to sit near the gate.”
“I confronted them and said what they were doing was not right. To this, the workers replied that what the government is doing is not right and our education minister has been sent to jail. They said that the children are registering their sympathy towards him,” Tiwari added.
Expressing displeasure over the incident, Tiwari said, “Children are defending alcohol accused, how far is that right? These people are forcing the child and the principal of the school to get such activities done. In the same school, religious activity was conducted by these representatives. However, no action was taken.”
Sisodia was arrested by the CBI on Sunday last for alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of Delhi’s new excise policy. The policy was withdrawn amid allegations of foul play by the Opposition.
Sisodia had on Friday filed a bail plea in Rouse Avenue Court after the SC refused to intervene in the matter.
The fresh bail petition filed on behalf of Sisodia before a trial court in the national capital stated that no fruitful purpose would be served by keeping him (Sisodia) in custody as all the recoveries in the case have already been made.
It stated further that the former Delhi deputy CM was cooperating in the investigation and had appeared whenever summoned by the CBI. The other accused persons arrested in this case have already been granted bail, it added.
Sisodia, in his plea, further stated that he held the important constitutional post of deputy CM and has deep roots in the society.