In the name of 'common man', AAP MLA justifies assault on Chief Secretary

Days after the Chief Secretary of the Delhi government accused Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislators of assaulting him, party MLA Naresh Balyan on Friday justified the act, saying anyone obstructing the work for the common man deserves a beating.

"They are taking up to three to six months for doing work which should be done in three days. Why? Because Delhi Chief Minister abolished the commission system which earlier reigned. And as this system was eradicated, they (bureaucrats) started sitting on the files.

"Whatever happened to the Chief Secretary...I say they should be beaten up, they should be thrashed... Whoever obstructs the work being done for the common man, should be meted out the same treatment," Balyan, the legislator from Uttam Nagar constituency, said at a public rally of the party.

It was on Tuesday that Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash alleged that he was beaten up by two AAP MLAs -- Amanatullah Khan and Prakash Jarwal -- in the presence of Kejriwal at the Chief Minister's residence on Monday night, where he had been called for an emergency meeting.

Later speaking to IANS, Balyan said his words were misconstrued and that he only meant that the public has a right to beat up erring officials.

"My contention was people should be given ration on the basis of their ration cards and that people have a right to beat up those officials who are obstructing its implementation," he said.

In an order issued on Tuesday, the Delhi government had stipulated that beneficiaries will no longer need their Aadhaar biometrics to buy subsidised ration, bringing the ration card system back for a while.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) flayed the Delhi Chief Minister, accusing him of fomenting lawlessness in the national capital.

"Your own MLA ... he has threatened to hit any public servant, any officer, who does not agree with Arvind Kejriwal. What kind of situation do you want to prevail in Delhi -- lawful situation or a lawless situation," BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra told the media here.

"Mr Arvind Kejriwal, we have seen in the past also how you have spoken against the very ethos of the Constitution of this country. You have always spoken about anarchy and you have yourself declared that you are an anarchist.

"I firmly believe that this kind of anarchist mentality will never be beneficial for Delhi. So, I believe Arvind Kejriwal should be answering the question," he said.

-- IANS

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