This Article is From Aug 04, 2016

Arvind Kejriwal, For Whom Dharnas Were Normcore, In Row Over Curbing Them

Arvind Kejriwal, For Whom Dharnas Were Normcore, In Row Over Curbing Them

Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung said order banning dharnas outside Arvind Kejriwal's house is invalid

Highlights

  • Order banning dharna outside Arvind Kejriwal's house invalid: Lt Governor
  • Protests will cause inconvenience to visitors during August, said order
  • Only police can forbid gathering of people under Sec 144: Lt Governor
New Delhi: For a chief minister known for his dharna politics, the ban on dharnas outside his own residence came as a surprise to many.

Two years after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal spent the night on the pavement outside Rail Bavan near Parliament, violating Section 144 of the CrPC that was in place days ahead of Republic Day, a sub divisional magistrate, an administration official under his government, imposed prohibitory orders outside the chief minister's 6 Flagstaff Road residence in the posh Civil Lines locality two days ago.

The reason: the frequent dharnas outside his home could lead to a law and order situation. Independence Day is just days away and the sub divisional magistrate said that Section 144 would be in place till the end of August.

"It has been reported that various political parties and pressure groups may hold protests, demonstrations, dharnas, processions etc on political and others issues in front, near or around the residence of the chief minister...These protests need to be prohibited in order to prevent public nuisance, obstruction to traffic and persons, danger to inhuman lives or safety and public property," the order says.

Delhi Deputy Commissioner of Police for Northern District Madhur Verma has shot off a letter to the sub divisional magistrate saying the decision is "not only violative of the notification of the MHA but also amounts to interference in the working of the Delhi Police."

Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay, who often leads protests outside Mr Kejriwal's house said he was "shocked" that such an "anti-democratic step was taken by a government whose head once staked his government to demonstrate and obstruct the nation's Republic Day function."

Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, already at loggerheads with the Delhi government, took it a step further by saying action could be taken against the sub divisional magistrate if he didn't withdraw the order. "Imposition of prohibitory orders is the prerogative of the DCP. The SDM doesn't have these powers," said Mr Jung.

Mr Kejriwal, who earned himself the sobriquet "Dharna Kumar" early in his political career because he would stage protests so often, will be out of town for almost half of August. He is attending a meditation course in Dharamsala.
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