Punjab Newsline | New Delhi
Former Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal was stopped by Delhi Police on Tuesday while leading a march towards the Prime Minister’s residence to protest against the Centre’s E20 petrol policy.
The protest march was halted at Ferozeshah Road, where Kejriwal, senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia, and several other party leaders sat on a dharna on the road after being prevented from moving ahead.
Addressing supporters before the march, Kejriwal said he had written to the Prime Minister last month seeking time to discuss concerns related to the E20 fuel policy, but had received no response.
He claimed that more than two lakh people had signed letters opposing the policy and said he wanted to personally submit these petitions to the Prime Minister.
AAP has demanded that petrol pumps should provide both pure petrol and E20 petrol as separate options and that the prices of E20 fuel should be reduced.
Kejriwal alleged that the government was implementing the E20 policy by importing ethanol from the United States, which, according to him, could harm vehicle engines. He urged the Prime Minister not to act under what he described as American pressure and demanded that the E20 policy be withdrawn.
Ahead of the march, Kejriwal said he had also sent a message to the Prime Minister and expressed hope that a meeting would take place.
Meanwhile, Delhi BJP president Harsh Malhotra criticised the protest, calling it part of a competition between Congress and Kejriwal to become the country’s “number one anarchist.”
Malhotra alleged that Kejriwal was trying to imitate recent Congress protests near the Prime Minister’s residence and accused him of following a familiar political pattern of staging protests without permission and then “playing the victim card.”
He further claimed that once police stopped the protesters from approaching the Prime Minister’s residence without permission, Kejriwal would again accuse the government of refusing to engage in dialogue.
AAP leaders said their agitation against the E20 fuel policy would continue in the coming days, indicating that the party plans to intensify its campaign on the issue.
