Delhi BJP chief and MP Manoj Tiwari. (Express Photo by Abhinav Saha)
Senior BJP leaders including state unit president Manoj Tiwari, MP Ramesh Bidhuri and former MP Maheish Girri staged protests at several locations on Monday, alleging that the Delhi government has “failed” to handle the coronavirus pandemic.
Tiwari and eight others, however, were detained later. DCP (Central) Sanjay Bhatia said, “We detained over nine men (including Tiwari) after they were found protesting near Rajghat, which is not allowed now under social distancing norms. They were taken to Rajendra Nagar police station and released in the afternoon.” No FIR has been filed, said police.
Tiwari said, “Only a few party workers were present and were following social distancing.”
Hitting out at the Delhi government, he claimed, “More than 1,000 fresh cases have come to light every day in the past four days. To divert attention from this, they are demanding Rs 5,000 crore from the Centre, sealing Delhi borders and raising issue of outside patients in Delhi.”
AAP national spokesperson Sanjay Singh said: “BJP members want to have the cake and eat it too. They are saying that Delhi hospitals should be opened to the entire country. But if cases increase, they will protest.”
Rohini MLA Vijender Gupta was also detained near Rohini East Metro station.