The Delhi High Court on Monday asked the government who had authorised Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and three of his Cabinet ministers to protest at the lieutenant governor’s office, reported PTI. The court was hearing two petitions – one against the sit-in by Kejriwal and the other against the alleged strike by Delhi bureaucrats.
“Thing is that you’re sitting on a dharna,” said the bench of Justices AK Chawla and Navin Chawla. “Who authorised them to sit on a dharna like this? This can’t be called a strike. You can’t go inside someone’s office or house and hold a strike there.”
Kejriwal and Cabinet ministers have been camping at Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal’s office since June 11. They have alleged that Indian Administrative Service officers in Delhi have been on strike for the past four months and have sought Baijal’s intervention. The AAP leaders claim that the officers are on “strike” on instructions from the Centre, which wants to stop the work being done by the Delhi government.
Of the four protesting ministers, Health Minister Satyendar Jain and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia were on a hunger strike. Jain was hospitalised on Sunday night after he complained of headache, nausea and breathing problem, and Sisodia on Monday.
Meanwhile, the BJP’s Vijender Gupta, who is the leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, filed a separate plea in the High Court against the sit-in by Kejriwal. All three petitions will be taken up again on June 22, reported PTI. The court said the association representing the IAS officers should be made a party in the case.
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