The Delhi High Court on Monday asked the AAP government who authorised the sit-in by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and some of his cabinet colleagues at the lieutenant governor's office and observed that strikes are usually held outside an establishment or office and not inside. The observation by a bench of Justices A K Chawla and Navin Chawla came during the hearing of two petitions, one against the sit-in by Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal and the other against the alleged strike by the IAS officers of Delhi government. "Who authorised the strike/dharna (sit-in by Kejriwal)? You are sitting inside the LG's office. If it's a strike, it has to be outside the office," the court told lawyers appearing for the Delhi government in the two matters. The tug of war between the AAP dispensation and the Lieutenant Governor refuses to die down with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's fast entering eighth day. A day earlier, IAS officers came out in public alleging that they have been "targeted and victimised" for political gains, even as Delhi minister Satyendar Jain was rushed to hospital. Later, Kejriwal tried to salvage the situation by sending out an "assurance of safety" to the officers whom he called part of his families.
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Jun 18, 2018 1:54 pm (IST)
"The type of movement Arvind Kejriwal has started is a unique one. Uddhav Thackeray had a conversation with him and said that Kejriwal has the right to work for Delhi," says Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut.
The type of movement Arvind Kejriwal has started is a unique one. Uddhav Thackeray had a conversation with him & said that Kejriwal has the right to work for Delhi because they are the elected govt. Whatever is happening to them, it's not good for democracy:Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena pic.twitter.com/HicE0nSDI5
"AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal will take a decision on joint opposition deputy speaker support. But Congress should answer. They are hand in glove with the BJP and history will remember that they did not stand in support of democracy," says AAP's Sanjay Sinha, replying to CNN-News18's question.
Jun 18, 2018 1:14 pm (IST)
"Now the onus is on IAS officers and L-G to also take step forward in the interest of Delhi's work. The signature campaign will begin tomorrow, and 10 lakh letters will be sent to PM Narendra Modi," Aam Aadmi Party spokesperson Sanjay Singh says.
Jun 18, 2018 1:10 pm (IST)
"We have shared over 50 letters about IAS officers skipping meetings. They themselves have admitted they skip meetings. If this isn't a strike, what is it? If IAS officers and L-G give a statement that they will start attending meetings, we will end the dharna. We have tried everything — from writing letters, appealing them in vidhan Sabha and sitting on a dharna," says Sanjay Singh.
Jun 18, 2018 1:06 pm (IST)
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal himself has written to IAS officers yesterday, calling them family and assured them of their safety. But if IAS officers continue their strike, people of Delhi will not stay quiet as the national capital is already reeling under water scarcity and pollution," said AAP spokesperson Sanjay Singh.
Jun 18, 2018 12:44 pm (IST)
"We stand by our colleagues in Delhi and demand safety and security of all IAS officers and Government officials," tweets IAS Association.
We stand by our colleagues in Delhi and demand safety and security of all IAS officers and Government officials. Threats and physical violence have no place in a civilised society. pic.twitter.com/W20fCS3WFS
BJP legislator Manjinder Singh Sirsa called Kejriwal's protest "nautanki". "We will pressurize Delhi CM to give water and electricity to everyone," he said, adding that he will send a contempt notice against Delhi speaker.
Jun 18, 2018 12:13 pm (IST)
Delhi government lawyer says that IAS officers in yesterday’s press briefing have accepted that they are not attending meetings called upon by the ministers. "They are sitting INSIDE the LG’s Office. That is where the dharna is being held. How can you say it’s not at his office?," asks Delhi high court. Effectively, HC gives them more time to sort it out by themselves. Court has not issued any direction and notice to anyone IAS association has made the party in the matter. Earlier L-G Counsel (Aman Lekhi) said, "IAS comes under us. But the court made IAS association a separate party.
Jun 18, 2018 11:55 am (IST)
The condition of Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain, who was hospitalised late last night, is stable, a senior doctor today said. Jain, who had been on an indefinite hunger strike at the Lieutenant Governor office for nearly a week, was rushed to the LNJP Hospital after his health deteriorated. His Ketones level in urine was found high yesterday. "After hospitaliztion, his condition is stable," Medical Suprientenden of LNJP, J C Passey, said. Last night, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal confirmed that his colleague has been hospitalised. "Satyender Jain shifted to hospital due to his deteriorating health (sic)," he tweeted. Kejriwal, his deputy Manish Sisodia, Jain and Gopal Rai, have stayed put at the L-G office demanding that Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal direct IAS officers to end what the AAP described as their "strike" and approve doorstep ration delivery scheme.
Jun 18, 2018 11:51 am (IST)
Delhi High Court tells government lawyer that Arvind Kejriwal's protest can’t be called a strike. "You can’t go inside someone’s office or house and hold a strike there," it said while adjourning the hearing till Friday.
Jun 18, 2018 11:42 am (IST)
BJP MLA Vijender Gupta approaches Delhi High Court seeking an order to CM Arvind Kejriwal to end his strike.
Delhi Govt Lawyer: IAS officers yesterday accepted they are not attending meetings called by ministers Delhi High Court: Thing is that you’re sitting on a dharna. Who authorized them to sit on a dharna like this? Lawyer: It’s an individual decision. Delhi HC: Is it authorized?
Is Delhi chief minister on strike or dharna, asks Delhi high court. Petitioner Hari Nath says that he can't tell if he is on dharna. “There is no specific definition of the word ‘dharna’ in legal terms,” he says. To this, the Delhi government lawyer says that it's neither a strike nor dharna. "The CM went to meet L-G Anil Baijal. Since he didn't meet, the CM was left with no other choice," the lawyer says.
Jun 18, 2018 11:37 am (IST)
Petitioner Hari Nath says that Delhi is facing water, power and health issues but Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is sitting on a dharna and is busy tweeting. He tells Delhi high court that orders must be immediately given to the chief minister to return to work.
Jun 18, 2018 11:24 am (IST)
Aam Aadmi Party to hold a key meeting at CM Arvind Kejriwal's residence at 12 pm. According to sources, the meeting will be regarding the signature campaign pertaining to IAS strike. After Kejriwal's letter to IAS officers, softening his stand, it's likely that the campaign would be on hold.
Jun 18, 2018 11:11 am (IST)
The Delhi High Court will today hear a plea seeking direction to the Lieutenant Governor (LG) to ensure that the alleged 'informal strike' by IAS officers of Delhi was called off and they perform their duties as public servants. The petition comes in the backdrop of another plea filed yesterday in the court seeking that the sit-in by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his cabinet colleagues at the LG office against the "strike" by the IAS officers be declared unconstitutional and illegal. This plea against Kejriwal's sit-in was also listed for hearing for June 18.
Jun 18, 2018 11:09 am (IST)
In the wake of "Arvind Kejriwal's failure to provide water" to residents of Delhi and against his "decision to sit on a hunger strike for political gains", a petition has been filed in Delhi high court, says BJP leader Vijendra Gupta.
Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Monday slammed Arvind Kejriwal, saying that when it comes to doing tasks, he is "zero", but when you talk of protests, he is a "hero".
'Karne mein zero, dharne mein hero, Karna kuch nahi dharna sab kuch' This is their mindset, it is destroying the trust people of Delhi had put in them: Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi,Union Minister on AAP protests. pic.twitter.com/jRIdyPYsh0
The IAS officers' association said they were worried about verbal assaults, threats, intimidation and attack on their dignity, respect.
Jun 18, 2018 10:16 am (IST)
Denying the charges levelled against them by the Arvind Kejriwal government which claimed they were not working or taking orders from AAP ministers, the IAS association on Saturday said that they only hold a token protest every day. “There are certain misleading and wrong statements by political executives alleging that IAS officers are on strike and haven’t been working for the last four months. It is reiterated and made clear that such reports are totally baseless. Meeting of chief secretary, principal secretary and heads of departments are also taking place regularly,” said that statement.
Jun 18, 2018 10:15 am (IST)
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Sunday that the prime minister did not give any assurance when she, along with three other chief ministers, raised the political crisis in Delhi with him. Banerjee, Kerala's Pinarayi Vijayan, Andhra Pradesh's N Chandrababu Naidu and Karnataka's H D Kumaraswamy had a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh on the sidelines of the NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting and urged the Centre to resolve the issue. "We have raised the issue with the prime minister as well as the home minister. We told them that the deadlock should be resolved for the sake of the people. The prime minister did not say anything, but Rajnath Singh said that he would look into the matter. We said what we had to, now they have to sort it out. It is their matter now," Banerjee said after the meeting. The chief ministers belonging to the Trinamool Congress, CPI(M), TDP and JD(S) had expressed solidarity with their Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal, visiting his home on Saturday and seeking Modi's intervention on issues over which he has been on a sit-in at the Lieutenant Governor's office.
Jun 18, 2018 10:00 am (IST)
On a day when the standoff between Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and L-G Anil Baijal entered the seventh day, hundreds of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers and supporters buoyed by a support by CPI(M) and Left workers, trooped into the heart of the national capital to raise support for the protesting cabinet. The rally of thousands, however, failed to reach its destination — 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, the Prime Minister’s residence. Amid the ongoing sit-in at the lieutenant governor's office, the AAP began the march from Mandi House but were stopped at Parliament Street police station. Five prime Metro stations were shut for several hours in the afternoon in view of the protest march, causing much inconvenience to commuters.
The IAS Association held a press conference on Sunday evening to say that ever since the alleged assault on Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash, they have felt threatened and concerned over their security.
Jun 18, 2018 9:38 am (IST)
AAP protest enters Day 8 today with three ministers, including Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia still at L-G office. Health Minister Satyendra Jain was shifted to Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital (LNJP) on sixth day of his fast.
Jun 18, 2018 9:33 am (IST)
The Shiv Sena and its mouthpiece 'Saamna' commented on the political situation in Delhi. The party said that the "political smog" in the national capital is choking its residents. A day after talking to Arvind Kejriwal, Uddhav Thackeray's mouthpiece asks when will Delhi be freed of political pollution. It is AAP Vs BJP Vs others, it says. Saamana terms the happenings in Delhi as 'political nautanki' of BJP and AAP. It also warns them that this 'nautanki' (drama) will harm them. It calls Kejriwal a tiger without teeth. Since all the subjects, even those related to law and order, are with Centre, the position of Delhi CM is a mere showpiece. Both BJP and AAP are responsible for the mess in Delhi, Sena says.
Jun 18, 2018 9:29 am (IST)
Delhi minister Satyendar Jain, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike for the past six days at the Lieutenant Governor's office, was rushed to a city hospital late on Sunday night as his health deteriorated. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted in the morning giving an update on health minister's condition. Jain was taken to the LNJP Hospital, officials said.
Good morning Delhi
Last nite, Satinder Jain’s ketone levels increased n he complained of headache, bodyache, difficulty in breathing n difficulty in passing urine. So, he had to be shifted to hospital. Now, he is doing well.
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