AAP writes to Modi, stages rally to demand statehood for Delhi

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterating demand for full statehood to Delhi and also staged a rally here on the issue.

Labour Minister and AAP leader Gopal Rai, who wrote to Modi, urged him to meet AAP legislators and "respect the feelings" of capital's residents to grant full statehood to Delhi.

Rai along with over 40 party legislators and leaders like Atishi Marlena and Dilip Pandey first rallied at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence here to voice their demand.

They said they had collected 10 lakh signatures in support of their demand, which they intend to submit to the Prime Minister. The AAP leaders later proceeded to the Sansad Marg in central Delhi, where they were stopped by the police from proceeding further.

The protesters held a sit-in on Sansad Marg while shouting slogans like "Dilli Maange Apna haq" (Delhi demands its right).

The police later ferried the letters of support from Delhi residents to the Prime Minister's residence.

On July 1, the party had launched a signature campaign on 'Dilli Maange Apna Haq' (Delhi demands its right) for getting full statehood, aiming to get signatures of 10 lakh persons on their demand.

Rai told IANS that problems pertaining to unemployment, college admissions, CCTVs and slum clusters would be resolved if Delhi attained full statehood.

"Youngsters with 95 per cent marks are running from college to college but not getting admissions. If Delhi becomes a full state, we can build more colleges on Delhi's land which will guarantee admissions in Delhi.

"... we can also carry out projects like installation of CCTVs, which will guarantee added security to women in Delhi," he said.

The Delhi Minister said that though the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had always demanded full statehood to Delhi, but now the BJP is brushing the matter under the carpet.

AAP MLA Alka Lamba said that the Prime Minister should not disappoint the people of Delhi and at least consider the letters in support of their demand.

Rai warned that the AAP will continue with their campaign in support of their demand till it was met by the Centre.

--IANS

sd/tsb/vm