Kejriwal’s sit-in protest enters Day 3

AMID STAND-OFF, DELHI DEPUTY CM SISODIA GOES ON INDEFINITE FAST

As the sit-in protest by Delhi Chief Minister (CM) Arvind Kejriwal and his three cabinet colleagues at LieutenantGovernor Anil Baijal’s officecum-residence entered its third day yesterday, Deputy CM Manish Sisodia launched an indefinite hunger strike.

“To ensure the rights of the Delhiites and to re-start their work, I am going on an indefinite hunger strike. Our will power and the trust of people is our strength,” Sisodia told media, stating that no truce seemed to be in sight.

Sleeping on couch

Kejriwal and his ministers Satyendar Jain and Gopal Rai have been camping inside the waiting room of the LG’s office where they spent two nights in a row sleeping on the couch.

Yesterday, the Delhi CM said he would not leave the LG’s office until his demands were met.

“Good morning, Delhiites. People have been saying that Kejriwal has been silent for a year. I think the centre started to take undue advantage of my silence. But our struggle to overcome the hurdles blocking Delhi’s development is on. Our confidence is our strength. We would not budge unless are demands are met,” he tweeted.

The Delhi government’s demands include a direction to Indian Administration Service (IAS) officers working in its service to end their “strike”, punishment for those officers who boycotted work, and approval of the government’s proposal for doorstep delivery of rations for the poor.

According to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, IAS officers have not been attending meetings with the ministers due to which official work was suffering.

The officers have gone on a “strike” since the alleged assault by Kejriwal and some of his ministers on Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash on February 19.

Yesterday, all AAP legislators and workers gathered at CM residence for a protest march towards LG Office.

The AAP also sought President Ram Nath Kovind’s intervention.