New | 'Anarchist' Delhi minister cancels his anti-police street protest after clashes
Arvind Kerjiwal's stunt against police demeanour and to push for control of police force ends abruptly after violence
New Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday called off his sit-in protest demanding police reforms that has seen him run the city from a pavement for the last two days.
Kejriwal told a crowd that two policemen he wanted suspended for misconduct would be sent on leave, but he failed to secure his main demand that the city’s police force be put under his government’s control.
He said that the lieutenant governor of Delhi, an appointee of the central government, had appealed to him to end his protest, which turned violent on Tuesday.
Some people say I’m not working, that the Delhi government is not working. We are here to support women’s safety
“After the lieutenant governor’s appeal, we all have decided to end our protest here today,” Kejriwal told a crowd of cheering supporters after dark on Tuesday.
“I’m very happy today. Today the people of Delhi have won. I want to congratulate the people of Delhi,” he added.
Kejriwal, an anti-corruption campaigner who swept to power last month, declared himself an “anarchist” on Monday and called a mass demonstration to disrupt Republic Day celebrations at the weekend.
Overnight, the 44-year-old slept outside on a pavement under a thick blanket, awakening to rains and strong winds. His central demand was that the Delhi police, widely viewed as corrupt and inefficient, be transferred to his state government’s control from the national Home Affairs Ministry.
As with other demands in the past by different chief ministers, the central government refused to agree because of Delhi’s status as the national capital. Kejriwal says the police, the focus of public fury after the fatal gang-rape of a student in December 2012, have failed to prevent crimes against women.