The AAP supremo has slept on pavement, stood and sat at various places, and lately parked himself overnight on L-G’s sofa in his unique forms of protest.
Since 2011, when he stormed into the political landscape on the back of the Anna Hazare-led anti-corruption movement, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has made protests a facet of his politics.
The chief minister has led several sit-ins and protests during his term in power — from sleeping on the pavement in 2014, against the Delhi Police, to now spending the night at the Raj Niwas calling for the L-G to get officers to end their “strike.”
Here’s a look at some of Arvind Kejriwal’s dharnas in Delhi.
1. 11 June, 2018: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Deputy CM Manish Sisodia and Minister Satyendar Jain at Raj Niwas, lieutenant-governor Anil Baijal’s official residence, demanding that the L-G end the “strike” called by IAS officers, and approve the government’s proposal for home delivery of rations. Jain began a hunger strike Tuesday.
2. On 14 May, 2018, the chief minister and his cabinet colleagues walked from the CM residence to Raj Niwas, demanding that the L-G discuss installation of CCTVs in Delhi, a project which AAP alleges has been delayed.
3. On 20 January, 2014, Kejriwal and other AAP members protested at the Rail Bhavan, alleging that the Delhi Police was not co-operating with then law minister Somnath Bharti, who conducted a “raid” on a suspected drug and prostitution racket. The chief minister slept on the pavement then.
4. Team Anna — consisting of Anna Hazare, Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Gopal Rai — staged a protest at Jantar Mantar on 25 July, 2012, demanding an effective Lokpal bill, setting up a special team that would probe corruption charges against ministers, and establishing a fast track court that would try criminal cases against MPs.
5. Kejriwal launched a “bijli-paani satyagraha” on 6 October, 2012, to protest against inflated power and water bills by restoring electricity to households where electrical connections were discontinued due to failure of payment of bills.
6. On 7 December 2012, Kejriwal staged a protest against the demolition of houses in South Delhi at Former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit’s house at Shaheen Bagh, New Delhi.
7. On 21 January 2014, To demand the suspension of several officers, Kejriwal staged a protest in Rail Bhavan in New Delhi.
I simply shudder to think that if he becomes PM and the President delays certain bill passed by Parliament, would he resort to such protest and sleep on a pavement to make mockery of PM office as well as become a laughing stock.