Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Wednesday began an indefinite hunger strike as the sit-in protest by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his cabinet colleagues at Lieutenant-Governor Anil Baijal’s office continued for the third straight day.
"Today, I am also sitting on an indefinite hunger strike to ensure that Delhiites get their right and also get their pending works cleared. Satyendar Jain's hunger strike is continuing since yesterday," Sisodia tweeted.
Early on Tuesday, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain had started an indefinite hunger strike.
On Monday, Kejriwal, Sisodia, and two other ministers - Gopal Rai and Satyendar Jain - met Lt Governor (L-G) Anil Baijal with two key demands – action against IAS officers, who have struck work for last four months and approval for the doorstep delivery of ration scheme.
The L-G, however, accused Kejriwal of “threatening†him and said that there was no strike by IAS officers but there was an “atmosphere of mistrust and fear†among the bureaucrats since the alleged attack on Delhi’s chief secretary in February.
Reacting to Baijal’s press release, the Delhi CM claimed that the officers were being threatened by Raj Niwas and accused the Lieutenant Governor of promoting rebellion against his government on the direction of Prime Minister’s office.
"Aren’t IAS officers merely tools being used by Modi govt to scuttle good work being done by Del govt? Is it possible for IAS officers to return to work without a green signal from PMO?" Kejriwal said in a tweet.
Aren’t IAS officers merely tools being used by Modi govt to scuttle good work being done by Del govt?
Is it possible for IAS officers to return to work without green signal from PMO? https://t.co/4Kn7WkUxZh— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) June 13, 2018
Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party has urged the people of Delhi to join a protest march from CM house to L-G's residence at 4 PM on Wednesday.