Arvind Kejriwal started his protest at the Lieutenant Governor's house on the evening of June 11.
Highlights
- Arvind Kejriwal exits Raj Niwas after 8 days of sit-in protest
- Anil Baijal asks him to urgently meet IAS officers at Delhi secretariat
- "We have nothing against IAS officers," Arvind Kejriwal says
After 8 days of sit-in protest in Lieutenant Governor's waiting room, Arvind Kejriwal left the Raj Niwas on Tuesday evening. The decision to end the unprecedented deadlock in Delhi -- which saw almost the entire opposition siding with the Chief Minister -- ended after Anil Baijal asked him to urgently meet the IAS officers at the Delhi secretariat to resolve their differences. The IAS officers have started attending meetings with ministers, three such meetings have taken place, sources said. On Tuesday morning, the Chief Minister had made yet another appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a resolution.
Here are the top 10 updates in this big story:
Addressing party workers soon after he left Raj Niwas, Arvind Kejriwal said, "We have nothing against IAS officers, 99% of them are good people, we have done work together in Delhi, they were just a front for interference by central government and Lieutenant Governor".
At a press conference on Tuesday evening, deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said the bureaucrats turned up for meeting with ministers. "There is hope that they will do so tomorrow also. Arvind Kejriwal will soon leave the Lieutenant Governor's house," he said.
The communique from Raj Niwas said the Lieutenant Governor has "requested Hon'ble CM to urgently meet the officers in the Secretariat so that apprehensions and concerns of both sides can be suitably addressed through dialogue in the best interest of the people of Delhi".
Meetings called by Transport Minister Kailash Gehlot, Enviornment Minister Imran Hussain and Social Welfare Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam were attended by the secretaries and other concerned bureaucrats, sources said.
The meetings took place after a letter of appeal to Mr Baijal from Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. In the letter, sent on Monday, Mr Sisodia had asked him to "end the IAS officer's strike" and attend a meeting between Mr Kejriwal and bureaucrats.
After Mr Kejriwal's assurance of security on Monday, the IAS officers tweeted that they were waiting for "formal communication for a meeting with him". The Chief Minister responded, "We r awaiting response from Hon'ble LG. Hon'ble LG awaiting green signal from Hon'ble PM, who has to take the decision. Whole Delhi waiting for Hon'ble PM to decide fast".
In the morning, Mr Kejriwal alleged that two Aam Aadmi Party lawmakers who had gone to meet Mr Baijal were forcefully evicted from Raj Niwas on his orders. "Why is LG refusing to meet MLAs, MPs, ministers, CM? Does LG know that he has a constitutional duty to meet them," Mr Kejriwal had tweeted.
The Supreme Court refused to urgently hear a petition that asked Mr Kejriwal's protest be declared "unconstitutional". The court is currently on summer vacation and the vacation bench said "We will list it on reopening of the court".
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain said they would join work on Tuesday after their release from the hospital. Mr Sisodia tweeted to say, "Now everything is under control. If doctors allow I'll try to be back to work today only".
Mr Kejriwal's protest has been supported by most opposition parties except the Congress. Yesterday, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi tweeted: "Delhi CM, sitting in Dharna at LG office. BJP sitting in Dharna at CM residence. Delhi bureaucrats addressing press conferences. PM turns a blind eye to the anarchy; rather nudges chaos & disorder. People of Delhi are the victims, as this drama plays out."
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