Atishi, Raghav Chadha And 3 Other AAP Leaders Detained Ahead Of Protest Outside Amit Shah’s House Against NDMC

Atishi, Raghav Chadha, and a number of party leaders were detained today while on their way to Home Minister Amit Shah and Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal's residences as part of their party's protest against NDMC.

New Delhi: Five Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders, including Atishi and Raghav Chadha, were detained on Sunday while they were on their way to stage a protest outside home minister Amit Shah’s residence in New Delhi. The AAP leaders had planned to hold a protest against Shah’s residence against the alleged misappropriation of funds by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC). Atishi was detained near the residence of Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal. She had planned to hold a demonstration outside his residence. Following her arrest, Atishi told reporters that the party wants the Central Bureau of Investigation to conduct an inquiry into the alleged funds’ misappropriation. She also accused Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal of shielding the Bharatiya Janata Party, which controls the civic body.

Delhi: Police detain AAP leader Atishi Marlena from near residence of Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal.

She was to hold a demonstration outside the residence of Lt Governor against alleged misappropriation of funds done by North Delhi Municipal Corporation. pic.twitter.com/YBKnBDIJvv — ANI (@ANI) December 13, 2020

“The BJP-ruled MCD committed the biggest Rs 2,500 crore scam in Delhi’s history,” Chadha tweeted. “When we asked for time to meet Home Minister Amit Shah ji, I was arrested from my residence. Amit Shah ji, why are you suppressing your party’s corruption on the strength of your police?

BJP शासित MCD ने दिल्ली के इतिहास का सबसे बड़ा ₹2500 करोड़ का घोटाला किया। हमने गृह मंत्री अमित शाह जी से मिलने का समय मांगा तो उन्होंने मुझे मेरे आवास से ही गिरफ्तार कर लिया है। अमित शाह जी, आप अपनी पुलिस के दम पर अपनी पार्टी का भ्रष्टाचार क्यों दबाना चाहते हैं? pic.twitter.com/Ij9oHkYSGP

— Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) December 13, 2020

Party leaders Sanjeev Jha, Rituraj Govind, and Kuldeep Kumar were detained at police stations located in their respective constituencies, AAP tweeted.

Delhi Police had requested AAP's request to hold the demonstration

Earlier, the Delhi Police had rejected Chadha’s request to hold a demonstration outside Shah’s residence in view of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) guidelines over the prevailing coronavirus (Covid-19) situation. “...Any type of gathering is not allowed outside the residence of Hon’ble home minister of India. Your request has been considered but rejected. You are requested to co-operate with the Delhi Police,” it said. “Moreover, the promulgation of Section 144 CrPC is already in force in the area of New Delhi district,” the letter to Chadha from the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police, New Delhi district, stated. In response, the Aam Aadmi Party questioned why the BJP leaders were allowed to protest outside Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence. Mayors and senior leaders of the three BJP-led municipal corporations have been holding protest outside Kejriwal's residence to demand the release of funds "due to the civic bodies". The AAP has alleged that the North MCD had waived Rs 2,457 crore which the South municipal body was to pay as rent for using the premises of the civic centre building in central Delhi. The building officially belongs to the North civic body. "North MCD waived ₹ 2,500 crore rent dues of South MCD, resulting in a loss to the public exchequer. Who is responsible for this corruption? On Sunday, we will go and meet the Union Home Minister and LG at 11 am. We will sit there till they give consent for CBI inquiry," Atishi said while addressing a press conference on Saturday.