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Kejriwal attacks Shinde, protest enters second day

Posted on January 21, 2014 from Delhi ι Report #171

New Delhi, Jan 21 (IANS) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Tuesday criticised the union home minister, saying Sushilkumar Shinde does not have the right to decide where he should sit for protest.

"Who is Shinde to tell me where to protest and where not to. I am the chief minister of Delhi and I have the right to decide not Shinde, instead I can decide where Shinde can stay," Kejriwal told reporters outside the Rail Bhavan here Monday.

The protest by Kejriwal and his cabinet colleagues entered the second day Tuesday as he demanded control over Delhi Police and suspension of five police officials.

The chief minister, along with his ministers and volunteers, spent the entire night on the road outside the Rail Bhavan raising slogans.

Due to the ongoing protest, four metro stations in the heart of the capital, which were closed Monday, continued to remain shut Tuesday.

"I realise that the closing of the metro stations has caused a lot of trouble for the common man. So, I am telling Shinde to open them and stop causing inconvenience to the people," Kejriwal said.

He said the area has been surrounded with barricades, turning it into a jail. The chief minister also complained about the absence of toilet facility in the area.

"Today in the morning, I myself broke the barricade and my ministers went to the toilets. Shinde has closed the toilets of all the buildings. We are people from India not Pakistan.

"Why is the home minister treating us like this? Where will the women go to use the toilets?, Kejriwal asked.