Not easy to sleep on sofa for days: Kejriwal hits back at critics of his ‘AC protest’

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday hit at back at critics who have ridiculed his sit-in protest at Lt Governor Anil Baijal’s office, saying sleeping on a sofa was no fun.

Kejriwal, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, public works department minister Satyender Jain and development minister Gopal Rai have camped Lt Governor Anil Baijal’s office since Monday, refusing to leave until Baijal makes IAS officers end their alleged strike and stalling of his government.

“It isn’t easy to sleep on a sofa for four days straight. We are not here to have fun. We’re doing this for Delhi’s citizens. We could have been sitting in our own homes,” he said in an eight-minute video on Twitter, hitting back at detractors dubbing his protest an “AC protest”.

“The Centre is being unresponsive because the Delhi government has ensured development across several areas such as improving health and education facilities... So they have decided to obstruct our work,” said Kejriwal, criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not ensuring that IAS officers cooperate with the AAP government.

“On Monday evening we came to meet L-G with two requests – to end the four-month strike and ensure the (Delhi government’s) door-step delivery of ration (initiative). He promised he would get it done. However, we are still waiting to hear from him,” said Kejriwal.

The IAS Officers’ Association denied they were on strike and released photographs that purportedly showed them working in offices inside the Delhi secretariat, which also houses the office of the chief minister.