Arvind Kejriwal regrets poorly-managed `Janta Darbar`, promises better arrangements

Zee Media Bureau New Delhi: As chaos prevailed at Arvind Kejriwal`s first `Janta Darbar` on Saturday, the new Delhi Chief Minister promised the people of the city that better arrangements would be made next time. When the Janta Darbar - organised at Indraprastha Extension - was suspended following overcrowding and chaos, people thronged to the front side of the Delhi Secretariat and demanded that the CM hear them out. Kejriwal, who said he was forced to leave the Janta Darbar midway as a stampede-like situation had arisen, then addressed the crowd from the boundary wall of the Secretariat and assured them of action on their problems. He also appealed to the people to leave the Secretariat premises. “What I concluded from today`s Janta Darbar is that the government staff working on contract is the most aggrieved. I will write to all departments on Monday, asking why people working on contract cannot be regularised and made permanent,” Kejriwal told the crowd gathered outside the Secretariat. “I will seek a report within a week`s time and will try to sort out the issue in a month,” he added. The CM regretted that “today, we could not hear your grievances due to mismanagement following overcrowding. We will try to sort out things in two to three days and will resume the Janta Darbar by then.” "We will improve the system. I will sit with the officers and make necessary arrangements," he added. The AAP, meanwhile, tweeted, “Today Arvind Kejriwal & Sanjay Singh will address a press conference at 3pm (sic).” Earlier, people in thousands had gathered at the `Janta Darbar` leading to chaos and mismanagement. The public meeting was suspended midway and is expected to resume on Wednesday. Kejriwal was taken away from the Janta Darbar to the Secretariat by security personnel after crowds swelled, with some even breaking the security barricades. Many people were seen looking for the documents they had brought with them, but lost due to overcrowding. “It has become overcrowded, we are trying to manage it,” Kejriwal said while leaving the venue. He later added, “Had I not left from there, there would have been a stampede. Kejriwal acknowledged that that crowd had become uncontrollable at the venue. “We lacked in management today. We will have to make proper arrangements from next time,” he assured. “Aaj toh toofan hi aa gaya (it was like a thunder today),” he added. The first-time chief minister said people of Delhi have huge expectations from his government. “The people`s expectations have exceeded our understanding of their desires.” According to Kejriwal, the maximum complaints today came from government employees, and on the issues of water and electricity. Education Minister Manish Sisodia said that the way they are receiving complaints from the people, “it seems as if employees at ground level aren`t doing their work.” Kejriwal, of the Aam Aadmi Party, is the first Delhi CM to hold such public meeting to hear the grievances of the common man. The Janta Darbar began at 9.30 am, with Kejriwal and his entire cabinet sitting in front of the Delhi Secretariat. The entire stretch of road that goes from ITO towards Rajghat had been closed and barricades put up on the divider so that people could sit on one side of the road, with the ministers sitting on the other. Yesterday, the Chief Minister had announced that the entire cabinet will sit in front of the Delhi Secretariat on Saturdays to receive grievances from people and efforts will be made to solve them immediately. On weekdays, one minister will receive grievances from the public. "Public grievance is another major issue. It is a major issue for any government. It is the duty of every government to resolve those grievances. “Public grievance is just a symptom, the disease lies somewhere else," said Kejriwal.