Delhi Urban Development Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Tuesday called the prohibitory orders clamped in parts of the Capital a Tughlaqi firman [arbitrary order] and demanded their immediate withdrawal while accusing the police of “deliberately hurting” the religious sentiments of people ahead of the Navaratri festival.
“With Navaratri festival beginning from October 3, thousands will flock to temples. Will the Delhi police now start arresting innocent devotees?” asked Mr. Bharadwaj.
Meanwhile, Environment Minister Gopal Rai alleged that the police stopped the Delhi government’s “Harit Kalash Yatra” — an awareness campaign to spread the message of tree plantation — on the orders of the Lieutenant-Governor.
Mr. Rai said around 1,500 women had come to Connaught Place for the awareness drive, which was part of the Winter Action Plan, but the police revoked permission for it at the last minute. However, the police said none of those who arrived for the programme was detained.
Accusing the L-G of stifling the event while neglecting the city’s rising crime, he said, “The police are busy removing women involved in an awareness programme instead of catching gangsters.”
The L-G’s office did not respond to the allegation.
The police had a day earlier banned protests and gatherings till October 5 in New Delhi, North and Central districts, and along the city’s borders, citing the “prevailing communal situation” in view of the row over the proposed Waqf Bill and Sadar Bazar’s Shahi Idgah issue.
They had also cited “politically surcharged” issues of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s Standing Committee poll and the pending declaration of Delhi University Students’ Union poll results for the move.
Published - October 02, 2024 01:10 am IST
