As the impasse between the Delhi government and Lieutenant-Governor Anil Baijal entered its seventh day on Sunday, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers took their protest for full statehood to the streets and attempted to ‘gherao’ Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence.
The protest march, in which more than 5,000 AAP workers participated, began at Mandi House on Sunday evening.
They were, however, stopped by the Delhi police on Parliament Street, which had been turned into a fortress with multiple layers of police personnel and two water cannons on standby.
After a short demonstration and a few speeches from AAP leaders who promised that they would continue to take to the streets in protest until their demand for full statehood for Delhi was met, the protesters dispersed peacefully.
The Delhi police said that no permission had been sought by the AAP to hold the protest march.
AAP Rajya Sabha Member Sanjay Singh said that the people of Delhi were out on the streets to demand the continuation of various policies of the Delhi government.
He said that the Prime Minister was trying to derail the policies through the office of the L-G.
Other AAP leaders said the rally was being held in support of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his three Ministers, who were fighting a battle for the people of Delhi against the L-G and ask him to direct the government officers to call off their “strike.”
Yechury joins
CPI(M) general-secretary Sitaram Yechury, who also joined the rally, said his party condemned the manner in which the federal feature of the Constitution was being “undermined” by the BJP government at the Centre.
Leaving no stone unturned, the Delhi police had deployed around 500 security personnel, including paramilitary forces, to manage the protesters. The police had barricaded most of the intersections of roads.
“No protester was allowed to continue the march beyond Parliament Street road and we had communicated it to the AAP leaders. We had made elaborate security arrangements and the protest ended peacefully,” said Madhur Verma, DCP (New Delhi).
Policemen wearing riot control gear were seen moving with the protesters.
“We have deployed policemen with mikes to keep communicating to the protesters regarding safety and security of other people on the road and follow police instructions,” Mr. Verma added.
A senior officer from New Delhi district said additional forces from other districts of the city had been called in.
The traffic remained out of gear for three hours from 3.30 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. in New Delhi.
“We have deployed extra traffic personnel in Connaught Place Outer Circle, Mandi House circle, K.G. Marg, Barakhamba Road and Parliament Street. Due to certain diversions placed on the march route the alternative roads witnessed heavy traffic. Smooth traffic flow was resumed by 7 p.m.,” said a senior police officer.
Meanwhile, taking precautionary measures, the Delhi police distributed special badges to media persons to avoid confusion in case of any law and order issue.
Earlier in the day, the AAP leadership had alleged that the police were telling workers not to join the march.
The Delhi Metro, acting on instructions from the Delhi police, closed the Lok Kalyan Marg station from 12 noon and later shut the Central Secretariat, Udyog Bhawan, Patel Chowk and Janpath stations from 2 p.m.
