Chaos cuts short CM Kejriwal's first 'janata darbar'

Chaos prevailed at the first 'janata darbar' organised by the Aam Aadmi Party government outside the Delhi Secretariat on Saturday, forcing Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to leave the venue mid-way as thousands gathered to register their grievances.

A huge crowd thronged the venue where the chief minister and his entire Cabinet sat to resolve the problems of the people.

Delhi Police and Sahastra Seema Bal personnel had a tough time managing the crowd as barricades at some places were broken down by the people.

The swelling crowd at the meet forced Kejriwal to leave the meeting half way through.

Kejriwal admitted that the arrangements were not adequate.

"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 a similar situation does not recur," he said.

"We will improve the system. I will sit with the officers and make necessary arrangements," he told media persons.

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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.

Kejriwal came out after a short while and asked the people to go back.

He stood on the boundary wall of the Secretariat and told the crowd that their problems will be addressed at the next meeting.

Police estimated that 50,000 people had gathered in front of the secretariat. The crowd mostly comprised contractual workers from various government departments like DTC, power company BSES, different government hospitals, municipal corporations, among others demanding permanent status.

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.

The complainants, who met the chief minister or the cabinet ministers, were issued a receipt about their complaints.

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Officials of various government departments as well as of DDA, municipal corporations and police were also present at the meeting.

The entire stretch of road that goes from ITO towards Rajghat was closed and barricades put up on the divider so that people can sit on one side of the road.

The chief minister had earlier announced that the entire cabinet will sit in front of the Delhi Secretariat on Saturdays to receive grievances from people and efforts will be made to solve them immediately. On weekdays, one minister will receive grievances from the public.

"Public grievance is another major issue. It is a major issue for any government. It is the duty of every government to resolve those grievances. Public grievance is just a symptom, the disease lies somewhere else," said Kejriwal.

Grievances will be segregated into five categories depending upon their urgencies.

"The urgent cases related to school admission or admission to a hospital will be resolved on the spot. In the next category, ministers will mention the time frame to resolve the grievance.

"Those related to policy matters will require time. They will be forwarded to the respective ministers for their considerations, he had said.

The next category will be for taking suggestions from the public. A team will be formed to look into them and regularly put up best of the suggestions to the Chief Minister. Another is miscellaneous category and the last is for those which are not related to the government, he had said.

Kejriwal had said that unlike previous governments, he will not go by the compliance reports filed by the officials but will ensure that the complainant is absolutely satisfied.