New Delhi:
The sit-in protest by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and three cabinet colleagues over IAS officers' "strike" entered its 5th day on Friday.
On its fifth day, the Delhi CM dashed a fresh letter to PM Modi, seeking his intervention to end the month-long "strike" by IAS officers in Delhi. He even lashed out at his detractors, saying the sit-in was "not for personal gains" but for the greater good of the people of Delhi.
"I have told the LG and Manish Sisodia (deputy chief minister) wrote a letter to him (Anil Baijal) yesterday and even sent a message on WhatsApp. But, no response from his side. We got no response to the letter I wrote to the PM. So, today again I wrote to the prime minister," he said.
The latest letter by Kejriwal was in response to an invitation to attend a meeting of NITI Aayog on Sunday.
"I have asked the PM if in his meetings officers don't show up, will he be able to run the government for a day? Then why have you allowed the strike of officers in Delhi? It is not good to bother people of Delhi," Kejriwal said.
The ruling AAP also announced a big door to door campaign, scheduled to start from Monday. Under this citywide campaign, they will collect 10 lakh letters from Delhi citizens and will send to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to end IAS officers' strike.
A video message, tweeted by Kejriwal on Friday, showcased that he and his ministers are holding at the L-G office in Delhi. They also attacked the BJP, alleging the bureaucrats' strike was to "throw roadblocks" in the working of the AAP government.
To strengthen their indefinite strike, Kejriwal and his ministerial colleagues launched a social media campaign and took out a candle march at Rajghat on Thursday. The campaign on Twitter #ModijiForgiveDelhi was joined by several Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders and workers, who posted their videos.
Dear @narendramodi, we know very well that you still feel the pain of 67-3 defeat. But we AAPians sincerely appeal you that fight with us. Delhites should not suffer.#ModiJiForgiveDelhi
— Satyam Kumar (@AAPkaSatyam) June 14, 2018
"Modiji we all MLAs have come to Rajghat. Delhi defeated you so you are angry. But forgive Delhi now and we request you to send back the IAS officers on work," AAP spokesperson and MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj, appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
सà¥à¤ªà¥à¤°à¤à¤¾à¤¤
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) June 15, 2018
आज सतà¥à¤¯à¥‡à¤¨à¥à¤¦à¤° जी के अनशन का चौथा दिन है। मनीष जी के अनशन का तीसरा दिन है।
कल LG साहिब से मिलने का समय माà¤à¤—ा था। उनà¥à¤¹à¥‹à¤‚ने जवाब à¤à¥€ नहीं दिया
पà¥à¤°à¤§à¤¾à¤¨à¤®à¤‚तà¥à¤°à¥€ जी से हसà¥à¤¤à¤•à¥à¤·à¥‡à¤ª करने का आगà¥à¤°à¤¹ किया। उनà¥à¤¹à¥‹à¤‚ने à¤à¥€ कोई जवाब नहीं दिया
उमà¥à¤®à¥€à¤¦ करता हूठदिलà¥à¤²à¥€ को जलà¥à¤¦ समाधान मिलेगा
राज निवास से दिलà¥à¤²à¥€ वासियों के नाम मेरा संदेश।
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) June 15, 2018
हम सà¤à¥€ दिलà¥à¤²à¥€ वासियों को अपने हक़ और समà¥à¤®à¤¾à¤¨ के लिठसंघरà¥à¤· करना होगा।
ये विडीओ ज़रूर देखें और ज़à¥à¤¯à¤¾à¤¦à¤¾ से ज़à¥à¤¯à¤¾à¤¦à¤¾ share करें। https://t.co/sK8MsuEgMK
PM Sir, suppose Hansmukh Adhia, Nripendra Mishra, Pradeep Sinha, R N Choubey, Sushil Kr come to their office everyday but stop attending all the meetings called by u and they say that they r not on strike- will u be able to work? https://t.co/2P0ZFC2BmD
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) June 15, 2018
Read | Arvind Kejriwal assures campaign for BJP if Delhi granted full statehood before 2019
The candle march at Mahatma Gandhi's memorial in Rajghat concluded with AAP leaders and workers holding prayers for "good wisdom" to prevail over the Lt Governor.
Earlier on Wednesday, Sisodia began an indefinite hunger strike as the ruling AAP vowed to continue its struggle to press their demands.
A group of IAS officers and the ruling Aam Aadmy Party have been at loggerheads following the alleged assault on Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash by AAP MLAs at Kejriwal's residence during a late-night meeting on February 19. They have been also avoiding meetings called by AAP ministers since last four months.
The IAS officers’ association, however, has denied on being so-called "strike".
Read | After L-G office, Aam Aadmi Party threatens to hold dharna outside PMO
Meanwhile, the Kejriwal government is scheduled to stage a massive protest in front of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on Sunday over the issue.
Their demands also include the implementation of the doorstep ration delivery scheme, which according to AAP government will help Delhiites and end corruption across the national capital.
