Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal threatens to disrupt Republic Day parade

Adamant on his stance to continue his sit-in unless his demands are met, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal spent Monday`s winter night on a roadside at the protest venue.

Zee Media Bureau New Delhi: Adamant on his stance, `anarchist` Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal warned to disrupt the Republic Day celebrations in the capital, as the sit-in staged by the Aam Aadmi Party entered second day. Threatening to hinder R-day parade, Kejriwal said that Rajpath on 26th January, will be thronged by lakhs of people, and not the tableau if his demands aren`t met. "Republic Day does not mean people enjoying tableau at Rajpath... it means the rule of people," said Kejriwal raking up the issue of increasing cases of crimes against women in the capital. "Doesn`t the parents` hearts beat restlessly, when their daughters leave for college," he said. Speaking on the "anarchy" tag given to him by his detractors, Kejriwal said for some people anarchy means democracy. Kejriwal spent Monday`s winter night on a roadside at the protest venue. TV visuals showed Kejriwal, covered by a mattress, sleeping on the roadside besides his blue Wagon R. Along with the CM, his six ministers and hundreds of Aam Aadmi supporters too weathered Delhi`s chill.

As Kejriwal`s dharna outside the Rail Bhawan near India Gate enters the second day today, the Delhiites are expected to suffer the side-effects of the protest, with commuters facing the repercussions as two metro stations – Central Secretariat and Udyog Bhavan - will remain shut today also. Yesterday, Kejriwal`s sit-in caused massive traffic snarls. Four metro stations, too, were shut. With just days left to the Republic Day, Kejriwal`s dharna poses a tough task for the Delhi Police to maintain security for which thousands of security personnel from RAF, ITBP and CRPF have been roped in. Kejriwal, who had earlier in a tweet requested people not to join the dharna, which was meant only for cabinet ministers and MLAs, on Monday reverted his appeal, urging Delhiites to join the protest against the Home Ministry. Kejriwal seemed to make light of the `Anarchist` tag doled out to him by his detractors, when he said, “Some say I am an anarchist, yes I am. There is lawlessness in every home in the city. Today I`ll spread disorder in the Home Minister`s house”. He further added that his cabinet will run the Delhi government from the streets, which was confirmed when a bunch of files was fetched at the protest venue. There were reports of clashes between AAP supporters and the Delhi police with kejriwal tweeting about one of the AAP MLAs, Akhilesh Tripathi, who he said was beaten by the police and was injured.

Akhilesh tripathi, an MLA, brutally beaten by police. Why?

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) January 20, 2014

Kejriwal says he plans to hold the sit-in for next 10 days and might extend it further till the Delhi police does not suspend the police officers, who defied Delhi ministers Somnath Bharti and Rakhi Birla. Kejriwal also wants that the Delhi police, which reports to the Central government, must come under the purview of Delhi Government – a demand which has been rejected by the Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde.