Several AAP Members Detained As Cops Deny Permission To Protest

Punjab Minister Harjot Singh Bains and Somnath Bharti were among the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) members who were detained by the Delhi police today as they protested against the arrest of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the liquor policy case.

Several AAP leaders and workers – including women – were seen being shoved and dragged into the buses in which they were taken to various police stations in the national capital.

While the Aam Aadmi Party had called a ‘gherao’ of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence today, the BJP is taking out a mega march demanding Mr Kejriwal’s resignation, calling his ‘work from jail’ plan a sham.

The Delhi Police has increased security along the roads leading to the Prime Minister’s residence. Due to security reasons, some Metro stations are also shut today, officials said.

Police said the AAP members did not got  the permission to protest.

“There is no permission to hold protest. We also got information that protesters will gather at the Patel Chowk metro station. In view of that, we stepped up security arrangements,” said Devesh Kumar, Deputy Commissioner of Police, New Delhi.

The BJP has been demanding that Arvind Kejriwal step down as the chief minister after his arrest. However, the AAP insists that Mr Kejriwal will remain the chief minister of Delhi, even if that meant functioning from inside the jail.

A protest was organised by the Aam Aadmi Party on Sunday as well – in which the representatives of INDIA bloc also took part. At a joint press meet, Delhi minister Gopal Rai said there is anger among the people over the manner in which Mr Kejriwal was arrested.

The INDIA Opposition bloc had announced a mega rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on Sunday to protest against Mr Kejriwal’s arrest.

The Aam Aadmi Party chief was arrested on Thursday and, the next day, the Rouse Avenue court in Delhi had remanded him in the Probe Agency’s custody till March 28.