AAP workers protest near Jaitley's house

NEW DELHI: Dec 24, 2015, DHNS

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers on Wednesday protested near Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s residence demanding his resignation on corruption charges. Hundreds of protesters were detained at the protest spot near Race Course Metro station and Tughlaq Road residence of Jaitley, before being released.

Demand FM resignation
Holding the National Flag, the protesters shouted slogans demanding the minister’s resignation and his arrest.

Delhi AAP chief Dilip Pandey and former AAP minister Somnath Bharti led the protesters who climbed police barricades before inviting a lathicharge.

Pandey said the party plans to hold similar protests in all district headquarters across the country on December 26.

The protesters were stopped by police while they were marching from the Metro station towards Jaitley’s residence and taken to Parliament Street police station.

Matter for inquiry
“Jaitley should step down as he is holding an office which may help him interfere with an inquiry into his alleged corruption,” said Bharti.

He said BJP leader L K Advani had also resigned from Lok Sabha in 1996 after allegations were levelled against him in the Hawala case. 

The case, however, later collapsed due to lack of evidence. Jaitley on Monday filed a defamation suit against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and five other AAP leaders and demanded Rs 10 crore in damages for linking him with alleged corruption in the Delhi and District Cricket Association.