AAP holds street protests as Kejriwal’s stir enters 3rd day

Party claims support of other political parties; to hold candlelight vigil today

Voicing concerns: AAP supporters taking part in a protest march in support of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s dharna, in New Delhi on Wednesday.

As the sit-in by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and three Ministers at Raj Niwas entered the third day on Wednesday, the Aam Aadmi Party took to the streets to demand that Lieutenant-Governor Anil Baijal end what they say is the ‘illegal strike’ by Delhi government officers.

Since Monday evening, Mr. Kejriwal, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Ministers Gopal Rai and Satyendar Jain have been inside a visitors’ room at Raj Niwas, demanding the L-G end the agitation launched by officers in the wake of the alleged attack on the Chief Secretary by AAP MLAs in February. They have also demanded the L-G approve the AAP government’s proposal for doorstep delivery of rations.

In a statement on Monday, Raj Niwas had said the officers were not on strike and that the ration delivery file had been with Food and Civil Supplies Minister Imran Hussain for the past three months.

Sisodia joins fast

Wednesday started off with Mr. Sisodia joining Mr. Jain, who has been on indefinite hunger strike since Tuesday.

AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said the party’s protest had received support from the CPI, CPI(M), Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal and Janata Dal (Secular).

Later in the evening, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee also tweeted her backing of the AAP’s stance.

At 4 p.m., AAP MLAs, councillors and party supporters gathered outside the CM’s house on Flagstaff Road, from where they walked to an intersection of Raj Niwas Marg and Rajpur Road.

Shouting slogans demanding the L-G step down, thousands of AAP workers, led by Mr. Singh and party leaders Atishi Marlena and Dilip Pandey atop a vehicle, marched down Rajpur Road. The march was stopped at Raj Niwas Marg, where the police had put up barricades. The crowd stood there, shouting slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP and the L-G.

Will gherao PMO

Addressing the crowd, Mr. Singh announced that the AAP MLAs, councillors and leader would hold a candlelight vigil at Rajghat on Thursday. He said the party’s leaders and supporters would hold a gherao of the Prime Minister’s Office on Sunday.

Anju Saini, who had contested the 2017 municipal elections from an AAP ticket, said: “From the beginning, the AAP government has not been allowed to work. If the Chief Minister is demanding that he be allowed to work, then we support him fully”.