Kejriwal begins dharna outside Rail Bhavan; AAP members clash with police

New Delhi: The Delhi government's unprecedented face-off with the Centre took an ugly turn on Monday when scuffles broke out between policemen and Aam Aadmi Party workers with the party claiming that MLA Akhilesh Tripathi was brutally beaten up by policemen.

The roughed up MLA was taken to a hospital. AAP workers also claimed that protesters, including minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, were being 'detained' by the police.

Speaking to reporters, Bharadwaj said, "The constables misbehaved with us, arrested us, then drove us around and then let us go."

However, Delhi Police sources denied detaining anybody and said that minister was only stopped at the barricade.

"We have not detained or arrested anyone. We did not hit anyone. The claims by AAP are false," Mukesh Meena, Joint CP told media. He added that AAP has violated Section 144 in Delhi's high security zone.

Hitting out at the Centre, Delhi CM and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, who is leading the dharna said, "The whole country is watching this and we will give a fitting reply to Congress in Lok Sabha elections."

"On what basis was MLA Akhilesh Tripathi beaten up? Why was minister Saurabh Bhardawaj detained?," he asked.

The cops disconnected the loud speakers at the protest site in a bid to disperse the crowd.

Read here - Kejriwal's dharna 'anarchic, drama': Congress and BJP

"Some people are saying that I am an anarchist. I am spreading disorder. I agree I am an anarchist. Today, I will create anarchy for Shinde," he said in an impromptu address to his party MLAs and supporters at the dharna site from where police asked him to shift to nearby Jantar Mantar.

He asked honest officials among the police force to take leave and join him in the agitation demanding Delhi police be brought under his government, a demand rejected by Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde.

Read here: Four Metro stations closed ahead of protest by AAP

45-year-old Kejriwal said he has come prepared to stage dharna for at least 10 days and would continue the agitation further if need be. Earlier in the morning, Kejriwal along with his supporters attempted to go to North Block housing the Home Ministry to lodge their protest. However, they were stopped near the Rail Bhavan as the nearby Vijay Chowk and the entire Rajpath were sealed for the Republic Day rehearsal that was going on.

In his address to his MLAs and supporters, Kejriwal put the blame squarely on the Prime Minister, Home Minister and the Centre for the situation that has led to his dharna and appealed to people to join him. He said any crisis arising out of the situation including disturbance in holding Republic Day celebrations will be the responsibility of the Centre.

Read more: Sushilkumar Shinde dares R K Singh, AAP to give proof of corruption

Kejriwal claimed that a woman official of the Ugandan High Commission met Law Minister Somnath Bharti and gave him a letter written by an official of the Mission to the government in Uganda on a woman from his country brought to Delhi and allegedly forced into prostitution racket.

He claimed the Ugandan official welcomed their campaign on the issue. The Chief Minister attacked functioning of police saying the streets of Delhi are not safe for women. He also alleged that some police officials take money share which go to their superiors also.

Rejecting Shinde's statement that action can be taken only after an inquiry, the Chief Minister demanded immediate suspension of the 'corrupt' officials who refused to act in the interest of the public whose cause Bharti had taken up.

The Minister had sparked a controversy last week when he went to a locality in his constituency of Malviya Nagar, claiming a drug and prostitution ring was being run from a residence and demanded police raid the place. However, the police refused saying they have no warrant to do so.

The AAP workers allegedly forced a couple of women from Uganda to give urine samples. Their action came under alround attack but the AAP government insists that action should be taken against the police officials. This is perhaps for the first time that a Chief Minister and his entire cabinet is holding a dharna against the Central Government to press for their demands.

Kejriwal also said his protest will not affect governance as he will clear files from the protest site. Delhi Police asked Kejriwal to shift his protest to Jantar Mantar, citing prohibitory orders in the high-security area.

Police made it clear that the protest will not be allowed to continue in the area.

Defending his action to hold dharna, Kejriwal asked those gathered whether it was wrong to demand suspension of policemen in connection with the rape of Danish woman and those who failed to act on his cabinet colleagues' letter demanding protection for a woman who was later allegedly burnt alive by her parents-in-law.

Kejriwal said he was demanding action against policemen who failed to check drug and sex racket being run from south Delhi. He said under such circumstances, ministers should be seen among people instead of sitting in the cosy comforts of their big bungalows.

Kejriwal also criticised a section of the media, Congress and BJP for describing actions of AAP leaders as 'vigilantism'. He also referred to the allegation made by former Union Home Secretary R.K. Singh against Shinde that he was involved in the transfer of SHOs in Delhi Police.

"It creates doubt that money has changed hands (for the purpose)," said Kejriwal.

Kejriwal made graft charges against Shinde, saying: '"Some policemen take money and give it to Shinde." Kejriwal also said: "Police is aware of sex and drug racket in Khirke extension. Some policemen collect money and give it to Shinde."

He said most policemen are not corrupt and asked the honest ones to join AAP's movement against corruption. He recalled that the Delhi Government has given Rs 1 crore compensation to the next of the kin of the policeman who was killed by liquor mafia recently. 

Meanwhile, referring to the case against midnight raid on Africans in South Delhi, AAP in a press meet said, "We are against racism, no truth in charges of racism." AAP leaders added that 'common man feels that Delhi Police are corrupt'.

Earlier in the day, Delhi’s Law Minister Somnath Bharti on Monday accused Union Home Minister as corrupt and inefficient.

Speaking to TV channels, Bharti said the Home Minister was responsible for the breakdown of law and order in Delhi resulting in rapes and other crimes. He also said that the charges made by former Home Secretary R.K. Singh must be enquired into.

The Delhi Police has deployed around 3000 police personnel to stop the proposed dharna by AAP. Rapid Action Force was also called in to control the situation.

Water cannons have also been placed to control the crowd in case of emergency.

Reacting to police action, Somnath Bharti said: "We will sit on dharna wherever police stops us." 

Next - Action against police personnel only after inquiry: Shinde

Action against police personnel only after inquiry: Shinde

New Delhi: Asking Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to maintain the dignity of the office he holds, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde on Monday ruled out any action against Delhi Police personnel till an inquiry is over.

Talking to reporters here on the sidelines of a function to mark the raising day of National Investigation Agency (NIA), he also made it clear that the Centre will not hand over Delhi Police to the state government.

Asked about dharna being led by Kejriwal outside Rail Bhavan, Shinde said, "He should maintain 'garima' (dignity) of the chair of Chief Minister and wait till the judicial probe is completed. After all he is a Chief Minister...,(which is) a high post. He should cooperate."

Kejriwal is protesting alleged inaction against Delhi Police officials who had a tiff with Delhi's Law Minister Somnath Bharti in Malviya Nagar in south Delhi last week.

Bharti had created a controversy when he went to a locality in Malviya Nagar, claiming a drug and prostitution ring was being run from a residence and demanded police raid the place. However, the police refused, saying they have no warrant to do so.

Shinde said, "Ordering judicial inquiry means fixing of responsibility in an impartial manner. There is no interference in the probe. The Lt Governor has made it clear that the probe will be expedited. "

"After Nirbhaya (case), we have said there should be section 144 CrPC always in Vijay Chowk and other nearby areas. If they want to protest, they should go to Jantar Mantar." He said, "In inquiry everything will come out (as to) who is guilty and who is not. I am in touch with Delhi Police."

Shinde ruled out any move to hand over Delhi Police to Delhi government as demanded by Kejriwal and said even in the United States, Washington DC is under the federal authorities.

"The demand for handing over of Delhi Police to Delhi government has been an old one. Like in the US - Washington DC, the concept is that the capital is under the Centre. This (demand) is not possible."

To a question about allegations by AAP that anarchy in Delhi was because of Congress and BJP, Shinde said, "The whole country is witnessing where is anarchy and who is creating anarchy."