AAP seeks permission for parallel dharna outside Shah, L-G homes

“We understand that a similar protest has been duly permitted and is being continued outside the house of the Honourable Chief Minister of Delhi. We undertake and assure that we are willing to comply with all the conditions as are imposed upon the protesters sitting on dharna outside the residence of the CM,” the MLAs wrote.

On Friday, Health Minister Satyendar Jain had alleged in a press conference that the North MCD had misappropriated around Rs 2,400 crore funds given by the South MCD — a claim that the North MCD mayor had denied. The Delhi government has ordered a probe into the issue.

Atishi said: “We demand that there be a CBI inquiry for this loss to the public exchequer. There must be stringent action against the culprits, because it is with this Rs 2,500 crore that doctors, staff, nurses, teachers, our Covid warriors could have been paid salaries. We will continue the sit-in until a CBI inquiry is ordered into the issue.”

DCP (New Delhi) Eish Singhal said, “In view of the DDMA guidelines, all public gatherings are prohibited to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Moreover, section 144 of CrPC has been in force in New Delhi district. We have considered the (AAP) request but rejected it.”

Meanwhile, the mayors, whose sit-in entered the sixth day, held a ‘thali bajao’ protest outside CM Arvind Kejriwal’s residence Saturday. They have been claiming the Delhi government owes Rs 13,000 crore to the MCDs, a claim rejected by the government.

Other BJP leaders led protests at assembly constituencies.

North MCD Mayor Jai Prakash, in a statement, said that despite sitting outside the CM’s residence for the past few days in protest, they have not received an answer and hope that they shall get his attention by beating utensils.

South MCD mayor Anamika Mithilesh Singh tweeted: “Sanitation soldiers, health workers, teachers and all employees of the corporation are working hard day and night to clean up Delhi, and because of you, they are not getting their salary.”

Earlier in the day, Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta led a protest in Burari and Patel Nagar, Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri led one in Badarpur, former Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari staged a protest at Khajuri Chowk, and MP Meenakshi Lekhi led one outside the MLA office in Kasturba Nagar.