Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) protests against the arrest of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia led to pandemonium near the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters here as police detained several party leaders and workers.
As AAP protesters tried to march towards the BJP office on Deen Dayal Upadhyaya (DDU) Marg, the police stopped them by deploying their personnel in large numbers and erecting barricades. However, when the protesters insisted on moving forward and tried to climb over the barricades, the police swung into action and detained several of them. Policemen were seen pushing AAP workers into the bus. There were 10-15 buses to take party workers.
AAP MLA and national spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj said, “False cases are being filed against our leaders every day. If there is no evidence, then they are putting people in jail. Bhardwaj and another party MLA Atishi were involved in the protest.
Several AAP leaders, including Bhardwaj and MLA Rituraj Jha, were seen wearing handcuffs in protest against Sisodia’s arrest. AAP MLAs, leaders and workers carried banners and raised slogans of ‘Manish Sisodia Zindabad’ and ‘Shiksha Mantri Jeetenge’.
The police told the protesters that Section 144 of the CrPC is in force in the area and no one is allowed to protest. He said drones were used to monitor the situation. There was chaos outside the AAP office as well. A large number of police and CAPF personnel have been deployed there.
The CBI had on Sunday arrested Sisodia in connection with alleged corruption in the excise policy relating to sale of liquor. This policy has now been cancelled. AAP leaders and workers also protested in several other states against Sisodia’s arrest.
