AAP, BJP in high-octane drama over bus marshals in Delhi

The issue in question was the November 2023 sacking of 10,000 civil defence volunteers (CDVs), mostly working as bus marshals

A day-long, high-voltage political drama ensued on Saturday with leaders from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party trading blame, as well as claiming credit, over the reinstatement of 10,000 sacked bus marshals.

Saurabh Bharadwaj falls at the feet of BJP MLA Vijender Gupta and grabs his foot. (PTI)

There were several contentious moments through the day – at one point, AAP minister Saurabh Bharadwaj fell on the feet of BJP leader Vijender Gupta to “stop him from leaving the secretariat”; BJP leaders alleged that AAP leaders “misbehaved” with them and “abused them”; a car journey by Bharadwaj from the Delhi Secretariat to Raj Niwas was later live-streamed; and finally, several AAP leaders were briefly detained in the evening.

The issue in question was the November 2023 sacking of 10,000 civil defence volunteers (CDVs), mostly working as bus marshals, over the nature of their employment contracts. Since then, the bus marshals have been protesting for reinstatement. Both the AAP and the BJP have been championing the cause, while blaming the other side for the lack of action.

It begins at Delhi Secretariat

The drama started at 10.30am at the Delhi Secretariat when Leader of Opposition in Delhi assembly, Vijender Gupta, arrived to meet Delhi chief minister Atishi along with several BJP MLAs in accordance with a pre-announced plan. Delhi minister Bharadwaj, along with several of his party leaders, joined the meetings on the AAP’s side while the BJP was represented by Gupta, MLA Mohan Singh Bist, Abhay Verma and others.

At the meeting, Gupta said that the BJP leaders had submitted a memorandum to the CM on Saturday demanding the reinstatement of the bus marshals. He added that BJP MLAs “put pressure” on the AAP team, forcing them to “hastily prepare” and pass a cabinet note supporting the reinstatement. Gupta, however, alleged that the note “lacked sufficient ministerial signatures” and did not include the demands presented in the BJP’s memorandum.

The AAP, on the other hand, alleged that it convened a cabinet meeting and passed a resolution but that BJP leaders tried to back off from submitting it to lieutenant governor (LG) VK Saxena.

“The BJP MLAs asked for a cabinet note to be passed to get the bus marshals reinstated by the LG. We called a cabinet meeting immediately and passed a proposal to reinstate the bus marshals. Even after this, BJP MLA Vijendra Gupta was not ready to meet his own LG sahib,” Bhardwaj said later.

The AAP shared photos and videos that showed Bhardwaj falling at Gupta’s feet. “He tried to run away from there several times. We fell to his feet as well,” Bharadwaj said.

AAP leaders said they were pleading with Gupta to accompany them to the LG office, where they would get the bus marshals reinstated as the final decision can only be taken by the LG.

“Since only the LG has the authority to finalise such matters, CM Atishi, along with cabinet ministers and AAP MLAs, proceeded to the LG House to present the proposal for approval. AAP leaders invited the BJP MLAs to join them, but the BJP legislators refused. In an earnest attempt to persuade them, cabinet minister Saurabh Bharadwaj held the feet of BJP MLA Vijender Gupta, pleading with him to go with the delegation to resolve the matter,” AAP said in a statement.

AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal lauded leaders of his party in a post on X.

“I am proud of my ministers who go to any extent, even laying at people’s feet, to get work done for the people. I request the LG and BJP not to politicise this issue further and to immediately reinstate the bus marshals to their jobs,” Kejriwal said reacting to a photo of Bharadwaj laying at the feet of Gupta.

On his part, Gupta said the behaviour of AAP leaders was “just a small example of the indecency”.

“It revealed the character of the AAP leaders and their seniors. Because this is the same party whose PA assaulted Swati Maliwal, behaved indecently…. today, the Aam Aadmi Party and its leaders tried to do the same thing to our colleagues. They behaved indecently with us, pulled us, used abusive language… The hooliganism of AAP is not hidden from anyone... We have just started a fight for the rights of the (bus) marshals. We will get them their rights. No matter what we have to do for this,” Gupta said.

A live-streamed car ride

After a nearly two-hour-long showdown, AAP and BJP leaders gathered outside the secretariat and started filing into cars to head to the Raj Niwas.

At this point, Atishi sat on the rear seat of Gupta’s car “determined to take him to the LG House” despite the “reluctance” shown by the BJP MLAs, according to an AAP statement. Gupta was seen sitting in beside the driver in the front.

The over 10-km journey from secretariat to Raj Niwas was live-streamed on X by Bharadwaj.

In the middle of the journey, the vehicles briefly halted, during which Bharadwaj alleged that Gupta was trying to take U-turn. “Gupta has stopped the car. They promised to go to LG residence but now they are scared…. We will not let you take U-turn,” said Bharadwaj in a video which captured the developments.

The cars eventually carried on to Raj Niwas.

At the Raj Niwas

The team of leaders from both parties finally arrived at the LG’s residence, but soon another spat broke out when some AAP MLAs alleged that while CM Atishi and the BJP leaders were allowed inside the LG’s office, they were not allowed to enter.

In protest, Bharadwaj and MLAs sat on a dharna outside LG office.

After the Delhi Police detained Bharadwaj and other AAP leaders, Bharadwaj said the “BJP has today betrayed 10,000 bus marshals”.

“Vijender Gupta had promised us that if we pass the cabinet note today, they (BJP) will get the bus marshals reinstated through the LG. The LG did not approve the cabinet note. Today, both the LG and BJP leaders betrayed bus marshals and people of Delhi,” Bharadwaj said while talking to reporters outside LG office after being detained.

Meanwhile, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva on Saturday afternoon facilitated the meeting of a delegation of bus marshals with the LG and requested him to hear their case. After meeting with the LG, the bus marshals said that the “LG has promised to solve their employment issue in a week’s time”.

An official in the LG office said: “There was no cabinet meeting held, and there was no cabinet proposal or decision. Anything they say is hogwash. Another attempt at fooling distraught civil defence volunteers who Kejriwal himself terminated a year back.”

“The BJP has consistently maintained that Arvind Kejriwal first appointed the bus marshals without following due process, then dismissed them to avoid an inquiry. Today, after meeting the lieutenant governor, the bus marshals understood the truth... Kejriwal and CM Atishi should explain why this action was not taken back in October 2023,” said Sachdeva.

Meanwhile, Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav said the AAP ministers were shedding “crocodile tears” for the bus marshals without doing their homework to ensure that the file related to the reappointment of the bus marshals was complete in all respects.