BJP protest outside Chief Minister’s residence, demand AAP minister’s expulsion

Reacting to the development, BJP had on August 31 demanded Delhi CM Kejriwal's resignation from his post accepting responsibility for picking up a "morally corrupt" MLA in the Cabinet.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal said he was “saddened” but also felt “proud” that his party took immediate action and “did not try to put a veil on it or defend the accused, unlike what other political parties do.” (Express photo by Ravi Kanojia)

Scores of BJP members on Thursday staged a protest outside the residence of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal demanding expulsion of sacked cabinet minister Sandeep Kumar from AAP over an ‘objectionable’ CD in which he was purportedly shown in a compromising position with a woman. Raising slogans against Kejriwal and Kumar and waving BJP flags, party workers tried to march towards the Chief Minister’s residence in Civil Lines area, but were stopped close to it by the police, which barricaded their entry. Several partymen tried to cross over the barricade but were thwarted as police resorted to use of water cannons.

“We demand this AAP minister’s (Sandeep Kumar) expulsion from the party on moral grounds. Previously too, few ministers have been sacked over one controversy or another, and this again shows the face of Aam Aadmi Party,” a BJP leader said.

Kumar, who held the portfolio of Social Welfare, was on Wednesday sacked by the Chief Minister over the ‘objectionable’ CD in which he was purportedly shown in a compromising position with a woman. He is an MLA from Sultanpur Majra, a reserved seat, and a few locals also protested outside his residence and office over the controversial issue.

In a televised address on Thursday, Kejriwal said he was “saddened” by the incident but also felt “proud” that his party took immediate action and “did not try to put a veil on it or defend the accused, unlike what other political parties do.”

Reacting to the development, Delhi BJP had on August 31 demanded Kejriwal’s resignation from his post accepting responsibility for picking up a “morally corrupt” MLA in the Cabinet.

“He must be rewarded for handing over Delhi’s governance to people with corrupt values,” city BJP leader Vijender Gupta had said mockingly, adding, “This has never happened in any government.”

Meanwhile, Kumar, who also held the portfolio of Women and Child development, on September 1 alleged that he was being targeted under a “conspiracy” as he was a Dalit and demanded a probe into the issue.