Chaos prevails at AAP govt's first public hearing

Hundreds gather to register their grievances; CM promises better arrangements next time

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government’s much-talked- about first ‘janata durbar’ outside the Delhi Secretariat here on Saturday witnessed chaos and mismanagement, forcing Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to leave the venue midway as hundreds jostled with each other to register their grievances. Kejriwal promised better arrangements next time and said people’s grievances will be addressed effectively.

“Go back home now. Give us some time to streamline the system. We will address all your grievances. We will make better arrangements next time,” Kejriwal, who stood on the boundary wall of the Secretariat, told the crowd after making a second entry into the venue.

A senior minister said the session was not suspended due to chaos as the timing scheduled for it was between 9 am and 11:30 am. Earlier, Kejriwal was whisked away by police personnel due to security reasons as the surging crowd broke barricades.

“We will have to improve the arrangements. If I had not left the place then, there was a possibility of a stampede. Everybody wanted to meet me.We will streamline the system so that similar situation does not recur,” Kejriwal said.

The chief minister was taken to his office by police personnel after the crowd at the public meet outside Delhi Secretariat went out of control. The entire Delhi Cabinet was present at the public hearing outside the Delhi Secretariat in Indraprastha Extension to attend grievances of the citizens.

Kejriwal convened the janata durbar as part of his policy to directly interact with the common people and resolve their problems. Delhi Law Minister Somnath Bharti, who was seen collecting written complaints from people, said it was a good experiment and such exercises must continue. “I am not harassed. It is a good experiment and I believe that such experiments must continue,” Bharti said, adding they were categorising the various complaints received. A number of people who came to the janata durbar said they were ‘dejected’ but have not lost hope.

“I came here to apprise the CM about the huge water bills. But I could not present my case. Definitely I am disappointed,” said Ramesh Garg, a resident of Laxmi Nagar.

Sunita Kapoor from Mandawali in east Delhi reached the secretariat at 6 am for the meeting that was to start at 9:30 am. She met Kejriwal and complained about unauthorised occupation of her flat. “I have been assured by the Chief Minister that I will be helped in the matter,” she said.

Hundreds of people including contractual workers from various government departments like DTC, power company BSES, different government hospitals, municipal corporations, had gathered at the venue. Police had put up barricades along the road outside the Secretariat as well as other arterial roads nearby.

Two days back, Kejriwal had announced that his entire cabinet will sit outside the secretariat to resolve grievances of people. The complainants, who met the Chief Minister or the Cabinet ministers, were issued a receipt about their complaints.