Delhi police objects to gatherings at CM's residence

The Delhi police have asked Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit's office to organise programmes with large gathering at the secretariat instead of her residence in central Delhi citing security concerns.

In a letter to the Delhi home department recently, police said supporters of the Congress and groups of people from the recently approved unauthorised colonies have started converging in large numbers at the 3, Motilal Nehru Marg residence of Dikshit.

"They gather initially on the Moti Lal Nehru Marg, choking it completely, before gaining entry into the CM's residence," Taj Hassan, joint commissioner of police, Central Range, said in the letter.

Noting that the judges of Supreme Court and Delhi high court also reside in the vicinity of Dikshit's residence, Hassan said the "safety and security of these dignitaries is also compromised due to the presence of these large crowds."

He suggested that visits of such large groups may be organised at the chief minister's office in the secretariat where "ample space" is available for the public.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party used the opportunity to attack Home

Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and Dikshit. "This is being done to divert the attention of the people deliberately in this election year because nobody wants to own responsibility and hence they are accusing each other," Delhi BJP chief Vijender Gupta.