CM to hold review meetings from next week, says AAP

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday said every week two Ministers will be visiting Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in Tihar Jail for review meetings.

The party’s Rajya Sabha member, Sandeep Pathak, told this to reporters after he returned from the jail following a meeting with the AAP chief that lasted for half an hour.

He was accompanied by Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, who alleged that the Delhi CM is being treated like a “terrorist” and was made to speak to him over the phone through a glass wall.

Mr. Pathak told reporters that they will follow the legal process while holding review meetings.

He said the Chief Minister wasn’t concerned about his own condition but all he wanted to know was if people were getting basic facilities.

Quoting his conversation with Mr. Kejriwal, Mr. Pathak told reporters that the CM said, “Do not worry about me, I’m ready for the struggle. You tell me if the public is doing fine, what are the people saying? Are they still getting free electricity? Is there any hurdle in that? Tell me if the schools are functioning properly? Tell me if the hospitals and Mohalla Clinics are functioning properly? Are they getting free medicines or not?”

Mann gets emotional

The Punjab CM said he got emotional on seeing the treatment being meted out to Mr. Kejriwal.

“We were made to talk to him over the phone through a glass wall. The glass was very dirty and we could not even see each other’s face clearly,” he said.

“We don’t know why there is so much hostility towards us that we are being treated like terrorists. Why is Arvind Kejriwal being treated like this? Such behaviour with the Opposition [leaders] will cost them [BJP] dearly. Arvind Kejriwal is an honest person who started the politics of transparency,” he added.

‘Everyone treated alike’

Director General (Prisons) Sanjay Baniwal said no distinction is made in the treatment to jail inmates.

Mr. Baniwal said an inmate can sign legal papers and personal complaints during his judicial custody but underlined that documents signed should not be political in nature. “Nobody is accorded special treatment and there is no such provision,” the officer added.