Delhi Police arrested 52 AAP MLAs, including the Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, Sh Manish Sisodia

Delhi Police arrested 52 AAP MLAs, including the Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, Sh Manish Sisodia, during their march to the Prime Minister’s residence.

The MLAs were going to surrender themselves to the Prime Minister for arrest, after AAP MLA Dinesh Mohaniya was illegally arrested yesterday under frivolous and motivated charges, and a complaint was registered against the Dy Chief Minister for merely doing his duty.

The Centre returned all of the Delhi Vidhan Sabha’s Bills this week. Aam Aadmi Party appeals to the Prime Minister to arrest all party MLAs, Ministers, leaders, if he so wishes, but do not take revenge on the people of Delhi for defeating him in the 2015 elections. The PM should allow Delhi’s elected Government to function.

The Arvind Kejriwal government was given a massive mandate by the people of Delhi in 2015, rejecting the Prime Minister’s party. The Delhi Government has been trying to perform its duties, working around the clock for the people of Delhi. However, the Centre’s constant interference in the working of the Government and their attempt at creating obstacles along the way, shows the Prime Minister’s vindictive attitude towards his opponents. This anti-people policy of the Centre reached its zenith this week as the Ministry of Home Affairs returned all the important Bills passed by the Delhi Vidhan Sabha over the past year and a half. No further evidence is needed to prove the Centre’s sinister role in scuttling all progressive initiatives of the Delhi Govt.

Delhi Police, which reports to the Modi Government, arbitrarily and illegally arrested AAP MLA Dinesh Mohaniya, during his press conference. By all means the Police must act on complaints, but when a complaint is clearly politically motivated and there exists absolutely no evidence against Mr Mohaniya, how can the Police swoop in on a press conference and pick up an elected public official s though he were a dangerous criminal on the run? Less than two weeks ago, 4 BJP Councillors were caught on camera assaulting an AAP Councillor in broad day light. What action has PM Modi’s Police taken against them, despite there being evidence?

Yesterday when Dy CM Manish Sisodia warned some businessmen of action when he found illegal activities being carried out in the ___ Sabzi Mandi, the Delhi Police once again vindictively registered the complaint of dishonest businessmen against a Dy CM for doing his job. The Dy CM and all AAP MLAs decided to surrender before the Prime Minister to protest the blatant misuse of the Delhi Police. The AAP’s appeal to the conscience of the Prime Minister is straightforward: The Prime Minister’s grouse is with the Aam Aadmi Party, and not the people of Delhi. He can direct his Police to arrest all party leaders and Ministers, but he should allow the Government to function normally. When the Education MInistry asks for land to build schools, he should grant it. When the Chief Minister requests the support of an honest officer like Sanjeev Chaturvedi, he should allow Chaturvedi to serve the people. When Delhi Assembly sends Bills to the Home Ministry for approval, he should respect the mandate given to this Government, and approve the Bills immediately. His attitude towards the AAP should not be at the cost of the interests of Delhi’s citizens.

Senior leader of the AAP and member of the PAC Sanjay Singh said, “It is such a mockery of democracy that on the anniversary of the Emergency, India’s current Prime Minister has decided to arrest all his opponents and suppress the voice of the electorate. Bills like Jan Lokpal Bill, Delhi School Education Bill, have been hailed as revolutionary laws that will make the lives of the people of Delhi better. In your desperation to take revenge against Arvind Kejriwal, you have killed such great Bills. What purpose has this served? Private school mafias, corrupt officers and crony capitalists are the only gainers. Are you openly supporting anti-people agents of society?”

Even as the Prime Minister invoked the Emergency in his Mann Ki Baat address, his Police was carrying out his real ‘Mann ki Baat’, and arresting all your opponents who were peacefully protesting outside his residence.Delhi is witnessing an unprecedented situation where in there is an Undeclared Emergency.

The AAP appeals to the Prime Minister to reconsider his policy of blocking of all developmental works of the Delhi Government and getting AAP MLAs arrested. The people of Delhi are suffering because of the Centre’s petty, partisan and vendetta politics. This is not the governance that the people have voted him in for.