Alleging that the Delhi police have blocked all routes to the Aam Aadmi Party’s office in the national capital after the arrest of the party’s national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the AAP wrote to Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on March 23 seeking a meeting to present their urgent grievances.
Noting that the AAP’s Matiala MLA Gulab Singh’s premises were raided by the Income Tax department on Saturday, the party told the Election Commission of India (ECI) that it continues to face “high handed” behaviour from Central law enforcement agencies despite the Model Code of Conduct being in place.
“We fail to understand how a political party can fight elections under such a repressive environment? We urge you to take corrective action immediately and direct all the agencies to observe restraint while the Model of Conduct is in effect,” the AAP said in an email to the CEC.
Editorial | AAP trap: On Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest
Barricades prevent access
The Delhi police, which comes under the authority of the Union Home Ministry, barricaded approaches to the AAP office on Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg in central Delhi around noon on Saturday, and the party says no one was allowed to enter the office despite requests for access.
“How can access to a national party’s office be stopped during the Lok Sabha election? This is against the ‘level playing field’ promised in the Indian Constitution,” said senior AAP leader and Delhi Minister Atishi, addressing a press conference at her residence. “We are seeking time with the Election Commission to complain against this.” Ms. Atishi also posted a video on X, in which she can be seen pleading with the Delhi Police to let her enter the AAP office.
Fellow Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said that the ECI should act as a neutral institution and ensure strict action against police officers. Both Ministers had been stopped from going to the party office, he said, asking how a national party’s office could be sealed during the run up to a parliamentary election.
