300 AAP meetings to garner support for full statehood demand
New Delhi, June 10: In a bid to ratchet up public support for its demand for full statehood to Delhi, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will hold 300 meetings in all municipal wards between June 17 and 24, the party's Delhi Convener Gopal Rai said on Sunday.
The party will also hold a state-level workers' convention on July 1 at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium here to announce the party's future steps on the demand.
The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal with ward-level AAP office-bearers and MLAs. The meeting was held to discuss the strategy on the issue, Rai said.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Rai added: "When people in other states vote and pay taxes, the state is ruled by their elected governments. But, here in Delhi, despite voting and paying taxes, the Delhi government elected by them does not have any power. This is an insult to the Constitution of India."
He claimed that the people of Delhi were unable to get their full rights even after 70 years of independence.
"In no state can a government come with more majority (than the AAP in Delhi). But even after that, the people here have to look at the Lt Governor for the smallest of works. This is an insult to the people of Delhi."
Asked why the AAP was doing all this after enjoying power for three years, Rai said: "In the past three years, we have done every possible thing -- from requesting to praying to the Home Ministry to the Lieutenant Governor. But as the speed of developmental works is slowed, we are forced to take this step.
The AAP leader said that the party is ready to share powers with the Centre.
"The reason for Delhi not accorded the status of a state is that it is the national capital. We are ready for the New Delhi Municipal Council areas under the Centre. But there are no embassies in Burari and Narela areas -- why should people from these areas suffer even when there is no central government office in these areas?" Rai asked.
Earlier, addressing the meeting, Kejriwal compared the post of Delhi L-G with the British era Viceroy and the Centre with the British rulers.
"In 1947, the country got freedom. Throughout the country, it was decided that people's rule will replace the Viceroy's rule. But in Delhi, the L-G was appointed in place of the Viceroy. The people of Delhi were cheated."
"The problem we had with the British is that they took away all our gold and all our money to England. But what the Centre is doing with us is even worse -- Delhi every year pays Rs 1.30 lakh crore as tax, but in return, Delhi gets nothing from the Centre."
Kejriwal also introduced AAP incharges for five Lok Sabha seats in Delhi and said two more will be appointed for the remaining two seats.
The AAP government had called a special Assembly session -- which is scheduled to conclude on Monday now -- to press its demand for full statehood to Delhi.
A resolution tabled in the Assembly would be passed and forwarded to the Centre, Rai said.
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Strict security measures in place in Mumbai for Messi's events at 2 venues Dec 14, say police
Mumbai (PTI): In view of Argentine superstar footballer Lionel Messi's visit to Mumbai on Sunday, the city police are implementing stringent security measures, like not allowing water bottles, metals, coins inside the stadiums and setting up watchtowers to keep an eye on the crowd, officials said.
The police also said taking extra care to avoid any stampede-like situation and to prevent recurrence of the chaotic situation that unfolded in Kolkata during Messi's visit on Saturday as thousands of fans protested inside the Salt Lake stadium here after failing to catch a clear glimpse of the football icon despite paying hefty sums for tickets.
Messi is expected to be present at the Cricket Club of India (Brabourne Stadium) in Mumbai on Sunday for a Padel GOAT Cup event followed by attending a celebrity football match. He is expected to proceed to the Wankhede Stadium for the GOAT India Tour main event around 5 pm.
"In view of Lionel Messi's visit to Mumbai, the police are geared up and have put in place a high level of security arrangements in and around the stadiums located in south Mumbai. Considering the chaos that prevailed in Kolkata and the security breach, we have deployed World Cup-level security arrangements at Brabourne and Wankhede stadiums," an official said.
Expecting heavy crowd near the stadiums during Messi's visit, the city police force has deployed more than 2,000 of its personnel near and around both the venues, he said.
As the Mumbai police have the experience of security 'bandobast' during the victory parade of ICC World Cup-winning Indian team and World Cup final match at the Wankhede Stadium, in which over one lakh cricket fans had gathered, we are prepared to handle a large crowd of fans, he said.
"We are trying to avoid the errors that occurred in the past," the official said.
There is no place to sneak inside the stadiums in Mumbai like the Kolkata stadium, according to him.
The police are also asking the organisers to provide all the required facilities to the fans inside the stadium, so that there will be no chaos, he said, adding the spectators have purchased tickets in the range of Rs 5,000 to 25,000. After paying so much of amount, any spectator expects proper services, while enjoying the event, he said.
The police are expecting 33,000 spectators at the Wankhede Stadium and over 4,000 at Brabourne Stadium. Besides this, more than 30,000 people are expected outside and around the stadiums just to have a glimpse of the football sensation, he said.
The organisers responsible for Messi's India visit recently came to Mumbai to discuss security arrangements. During the meeting, the Mumbai police asked them not to take the event lightly, according to the official.
After those requirements were fulfilled, the final security deployment was chalked out, he said.
Police has the standard procedure of the security arrangements inside the Wankhede Stadium, where people are barred from taking water bottles, metals objects, coins. Police are setting up watch towers near the stadiums and there will be traffic diversions, so that there is maximum space available to stand, according to the official.
Police are also appealing to the spectators to use public transport service for commuting and avoid personal vehicles to reach south Mumbai.
To avoid any stampede-like situation, police are also taking precautionary measures and will stop the fans some distance ahead of the stadium and public announcement systems will be used to guide the crowd. Barricades will be placed at various places to manage the crowd.
In case the crowd swells up beyond expectation, the police will divert people to other grounds and preparations in this regard underway, he said.
Additional police force has been deployed in south Mumbai to tackle any kind of situation, he said.
