16 hours on, Kejriwal's protest at LG's office continues

The Chief Minister also demanded approval to his government's proposal to deliver ration to the poor at their houses.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Photo: PTI (File)

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal along with his three cabinet colleagues spent the night at Lt Governor Anil Baijal's office as they continued their sit-in protest on Tuesday. Kejriwal along with Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and cabinet colleagues Satyendar Jain and Gopal Rai were supplied food from outside, informed sources said. The four went to the LG's office on Monday evening at 5.30 p.m. to press their three demands, including a direction to IAS officers to end their "strike" and to take action against officers who have struck work for "four months". The Chief Minister also demanded approval to his government's proposal to deliver ration to the poor at their houses. They decided to stay in Baijal's office until their demands were accepted. The Raj Niwas had called it a "protest without reason". The Chief Minister on Tuesday morning tweeted that his "struggle" was on. "My dear Delhites, Good Morning. The struggle is on," Kejriwal tweeted. In another tweet, he accused the Lt Governor of defending the "IAS strike" by saying that the officers were working and were not on strike. As of now, Kejriwal and the ministers don't have any plans of coming out of Baijal's office and will continue the strike. They four were constantly updating details through tweets. They spent the Monday night on the sofas in Baijal's waiting room. A number of party leaders were squatting on the road outside the Lt Governor's office to show their supporter to Kejriwal. Security outside Baijal's office has been beefed up since Monday evening. A statement from the office of Baijal, who met the delegation in the evening, accused the Chief Minister of "threatening" him. On Monday, Kejriwal tweeted: "LG refuses to take action. LG is under constitutional duty to act. Left with no option, we have politely told the LG that we will not leave till he acts on all points. We have come out of his chamber and (are) sitting in his waiting room." Kejriwal on Monday alleged that the IAS association in Delhi was on a strike for the past four months. He dubbed the protest "illegal". IAS Association Secretary Manisha Saxena on Monday termed the allegations by Kejriwal as "unwarranted and baseless" and "unfortunate", saying no officer in Delhi was or has been on strike.