Kejriwal demands police rescind prohibitory order
AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal urged the withdrawal of Delhi's prohibitory orders, calling them excessive and inconvenient during the festive season.
New Delhi
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday demanded that the week-long prohibitory orders imposed in parts of the city by Delhi Police till October 6 be withdrawn immediately, to ensure the public is not inconvenienced during the festival season.
“Delhi police prohibitory order is excessive and senseless. It is causing inconvenience to the public. It should be immediately withdrawn,” Kejriwal posted on X, sharing a news report on a Kalkaji temple priest approaching the Supreme Court against the same because it would affect Ramlila and religious gatherings.
Delhi Police on Monday imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita — previously, Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) — in New Delhi, Central and North police districts, besides areas bordering Haryana and Uttar Pradesh for six days, starting Monday, based on intelligence inputs about multiple protests and campaigns in the city in the first week of October.
A senior Delhi Police officer said that prohibitory orders are not penal. “In fact, it is a preventive measure. It is a mere coincidence that festivals and elections in neighbouring state are taking place same time this year. We should not forget that many social gatherings took place during the Covid-19 lockdown, with caps on number of attendees. We are in regular touch with Ramlila committees in different districts. Such precautionary measures can never spoil the fervour of festivals. Some people are blowing this issue out of proportion for unknown reasons,” the officer said, requesting anonymity.