A formula to end Arvind Kejriwal's protest? Action against some cops, say sources

New Delhi: As Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) escalated a confrontation with the Centre over the city's police force, Lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung emerged as the peacemaker.

Mr Jung, who is the Centre's representative in Delhi, was asked to step in and request Mr Kejriwal to call off his protest, after a day of clashes between AAP supporters and the police.

Mr Kejriwal has said he will continue his protest until Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde agrees to suspend five police officers immediately for failing to make a series of arrests ordered by his ministers. The police officers concerned have said they did not have warrants.

Sources say an option being discussed is to take action only against the policemen who did not act in a dowry harassment case that Delhi minister Rakhi Birla had taken up in her constituency, and wait for an inquiry in the case of Law Minister Somnath Bharti's controversial raid targeting African women.

Mr Bharti has been accused of abusing four Ugandan women during his midnight raid on what he alleged was a sex-and-drug trafficking ring. He was seen on camera arguing with police officers and ordering them to search a building and make arrests. The police have registered an FIR after one of the women alleged that she was beaten up and molested by a crowd of political workers.

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Sources say the government has ruled out Mr Kejriwal's demand to transfer control of the Delhi police from the Centre to the state government, which he describes as part of urgent police reforms.

It is not known yet whether the AAP will accept such a formula and back down on its protests in the heart of Delhi, which have thousands of security personnel on edge ahead of Republic Day celebrations on Sunday.

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Sources have ruled out any use of force to shift Mr Kejriwal from the high security zone that houses Parliament, President's House and top government offices.

"He is a Constitutional authority. We can only watch," said government sources.