If Arvind Kejriwal sits on dharna, who will run the government asks Congress

Aam Aadmi Party's countdown has begun, Congress today said as it hit out at Arvind Kejriwal for his agitation targeting Delhi Police and alleged that he was trying to shift responsibility, wondering who will run Government if the Chief Minister sits on dharna.

Party general secretary Digvijay Singh, who had earlier dared Kejriwal to contest elections, also said that AAP should contest Lok Sabha elections if it wanted to change laws as they are made in Parliament and not through dharnas on roads.

"He is Chief Minister. Let him change the system. It cannot be done by shouting," party spokesperson Bhakta Charan Das said.

Another party spokesperson Meem Afzal said, "A wrong message has gone among the people with the step that Kejriwal and his party took. It think their countdown has begun. People do not like this.

"When they have give you power, you have to bring changes through that and not through agitation and procession. If the Chief Minister sits on dharna, who will run the government." Das noted that a Chief Minister should have faith in the system. "Even if he does not believe in the system, he should change it instead of shouting and making allegations in the streets or through media. He is trying to divert his responsibility."

He added that instead of shouldering responsibility, the Delhi Chief Minister was trying to shift it on somebody else.

The Congress spokesperson also said that instead of making allegations, Kejriwal should follow the process if he has sufficient material against somebody. He said that there is a Chief Minister's Office to pursue these things, Lokayukta and CBI to hold investigations and that Kejriwal should utilise them to punish the corrupt.

"You can go on shouting but unless material evidence is given in due process and at proper forum, even the courts cannot punish anyone," Das said.

To a question as to why Congress is supporting Kejriwal's government, he said his party's support is not to any individual or any party but Congress responded to and respected the mandate of the people.

Kejriwal has demanded action against the policemen who allegedly refused to cooperate with Law Minister Somnath Bharti in cracking down on a suspected drug and prostitution racket in south Delhi.

Digvijay Singh justified the police action against the demonstration saying that it is the responsibility of the cops to maintain peace. "Will the police garland him if the honourable Chief Minister of Delhi wants to sit on a dharna without permission, which can disrupt peace," he asked.

Noting that the laws of the country cannot be changed through dharnas, Singh said, "On his earlier attempts to make laws from streets, I had told that he should form a political party and contest elections. He became successful in that.

"Now my request to him is that he should contest Parliament elections because laws are made in Parliament and not through dharnas on roads."

"Kejriwal must understand that a government is run through Assembly or Parliament and not on the streets of any city," the Congress General Secretary said.

The remarks by Congress leaders came after in an unprecedented action, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his ministers today began a dharna outside Rail Bhavan here demanding action against police officials who refused to carry out a raid on an alleged drug and prostitution racket in South Delhi last week.

Defying prohibitory orders in force in the high-security area near the seat of power, Kejriwal accompanied by six of his ministers attempted to go to North Block housing the Home Ministry to lodge their protest.

However, they were stopped near the Rail Bhavan as the nearby Vijay Chowk and the entire Rajpath were sealed for the Republic Day rehearsal that was going on.

Making an impromptu address to his MLAs and supporters, Kejriwal put the blame squarely on the Prime Minister, Home Minister and the Centre for the situation that has led to his dharna and said he has come prepared for 10 days and would continue the agitation further if need be.

He said any crisis arising out of the situation will be the responsibility of the Centre.

Rejecting Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde's statement that action can be taken only after an inquiry, the Chief Minister demanded immediate suspension of the "corrupt" officials who refused to act in the interest of public whose cause Bharti had taken up.