New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi on Saturday claimed the party office in Delhi has been allegedly “sealed” from all directions and announced the intention to bring the matter to the attention of the Election Commission. However, a Delhi Police officer denied the allegation, stating that police personnel were deployed at DDU Marg to prevent gatherings due to the imposition of CrPC Section 144 in the area.
According to police, around 500 AAP workers and leaders from Delhi and Punjab assembled at Shaheedi Park on Bahadurshah Zafar Marg on Saturday.
“These people, who never took any permission for the gathering, suddenly started marching towards DDU Marg. Since section 144 was imposed at DDU Marg, which has the Rouse Avenue Court and offices of many political parties, we stopped them. We detained 25 of them briefly and they were later released,” PTI quoted Deputy Commissioner of Police (central) M Harsha Vadhan as saying.
Taking to X, Atishi expressed concern over the purported “sealing” of the party office, arguing that it contradicts the principle of a “level playing field” guaranteed by the Constitution during elections.
“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. We are seeking time with the Election Commission (EC) to complain against this,” she wrote.
.@AamAadmiParty has sought an urgent appointment with the Election Commission, to ensure a level playing field in the Lok Sabha elections.
Despite the representation made yesterday, today @AamAadmiParty office was sealed. Lok Sabha candidates and party leaders could not come to… pic.twitter.com/cqb6V8QTSM
— Atishi (@AtishiAAP) March 23, 2024
Another senior AAP leader and Delhi Minister, Saurabh Bharadwaj, alleged that the Union government had restricted access to the party office at ITO, even when the Model Code of Conduct is functional.
“We will approach EC. The Central government has closed all access to the AAP head office at ITO, that too in Model Code of Conduct,” he wrote on X.
The AAP leaders further claimed that Atishi was intercepted by police near Barakhambha Road, stopping her return home.
During a press briefing, Bharadwaj urged the Election Commission to maintain neutrality and take stringent action against errant police officers.
This incident follows a previous blockade of the AAP office at DDU Marg during a protest against the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Despite these claims, DCP Vardhan asserted that the AAP office was never sealed by police and reiterated that police presence was due to the imposition of Section 144.
Atishi Claims Car Stopped By Police While Heading Home
Meanwhile, Atishi posted a video on X showing her confrontation with a Delhi Police officer, while some AAP leaders staged a protest by lying down on the road.
She reiterated the AAP’s request for an urgent meeting with the Election Commission to ensure fairness in the Lok Sabha polls and also mentioned that the residence of party’s Matiala MLA Gulab Singh was raided by the IT department.
“Saurabh Bharadwaj, Durgesh Pathak, Adil Khan and myself were heading peacefully to my residence. After seeing us in the car, Delhi Police stopped our car. What kind of a dictatorship is this? Now opposition leaders won’t be allowed in their party office? Now we won’t be allowed to move freely on the streets of Delhi,” she wrote.
Saurabh Bharadwaj, Durgesh Pathak, Adil Khan and myself were heading peacefully to my residence. After seeing us in the car, @DelhiPolice stopped our car.
What kind of a dictatorship is this? Now opposition leaders won’t be allowed in their party office? Now we won’t be allowed… https://t.co/1uy6ulCUa5
— Atishi (@AtishiAAP) March 23, 2024
Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal was remanded to Enforcement Directorate custody until March 28, following his arrest in connection with a money-laundering case linked to the now-scrapped excise policy of the Delhi government.
