New Delhi:
Activist Arvind Kejriwal was detained for the second time in the day by the Delhi Police for protesting without permission. In an attempt to stop Mr Kejriwal and his supporters from entering high-security areas of the capital, the Delhi Police retorted to baton charge, tear gas and water canon. Mr Kejriwal and his supporters took out a protest march from Jantar Mantar to the residences of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and BJP President Nitin Gadkari.
(Track live updates)Mr Kejriwal along with other members of India Against Corruption were earlier released after being detained for just over an hour by the Delhi Police for protesting outside the residences of the Prime Minister and Mrs Sonia Gandhi without permission. The activists, who are protesting against the alleged coal allocation scam, were later given permission for Jantar Mantar, where around 2000 people gathered in support of the anti-graft activists.
Mr Kejriwal, who is heading today's protest, said they will stick to their schedule. As planned, the activists along with their supporters started moving towards the residences of the Prime Minister, Mrs Gandhi and Mr Gadkari in three groups.
Shortly after he was released from his brief detention, Mr Kejriwal lashed out at the Congress and the BJP, saying "they are responsible for the current mess our country is in."
"The Congress and the BJP hold so many protests. They are never stopped. Raj Thackeray takes a rally without police permission, thousands attend, but he is not stopped. He is in fact given police protection. Why are we being stopped from holding a peaceful protest," Mr Kejriwal said. He also slammed the Delhi Police, saying his colleague Manish Sisodia was manhandled by the Delhi Police for protesting outside Mrs Gandhi's residence at 10, Janpath.
(Watch what Arvind Kejriwal said)
Earlier, Mr Kejriwal was detained by the Delhi Police at around 7 am when he was sitting on a footpath outside the PM's residence at the 7 Race Course Road.
"What wrong are we doing? We are just sitting quietly on the footpath. At least we should be told why we are being detained," Mr Kejriwal told the media from the back seat of a police jeep.
The Delhi Police had denied permission for the protest, saying Parliament is in session and prohibitory orders are in place and no protest can be allowed in the high-security areas. They had also said that a protest by members of India Against Corruption that was held in the capital last month went out of control.
Early on Sunday morning, roads leading to PM's residence at 7 Race Course Road and Mrs Gandhi's residence at 10 Janpath were blocked by the Delhi Police. However, the six metro stations, which were scheduled to be closed for the protests, will remain operational through the day.
(Read)