Delhi minister, AAP leaders detained during bus marshals’ protest

Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj and several Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders were detained by police on Saturday during a protest outside Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena’s residence. The protest was organised to demand the reinstatement of bus marshals who had recently been terminated.
AAP MLAs, ministers and several bus marshals had gathered outside the residence of Lt Governor VK Saxena.
Taking a dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj accused the party of backtracking on its promise to regularise bus marshals.
“Today, the BJP has betrayed 10,000 bus marshals,” Bharadwaj said, emphasising that a previous commitment made by BJP leader Vijender Gupta had been broken.
“Gupta assured us that once the resolution was passed by the cabinet, the marshals would be regularised through the LG,” he added. According to Bharadwaj, both the Lieutenant Governor and BJP leaders have “betrayed the bus marshals and the people of Delhi.”
Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi joined the criticism, targeting the BJP for delaying the regularisation of bus marshals. She stressed that the Delhi government had done everything in its power to move the process forward. “All the necessary steps have been taken,” Atishi said. “It is now up to the BJP to regularise the bus marshals and issue their joining letters.”
Atishi further revealed that BJP MLAs had approached her the previous day, seeking a meeting to discuss the issue of bus marshals.
“We met them and explained that this matter falls under service matters, which come under the LG,” she said.
Atishi added that during the meeting, her entire cabinet made it clear that decisions within their jurisdiction would be made by them, while the BJP should urge the Lt Governor to take action on matters under his authority.
“The BJP got exposed today,” she remarked. “They are not ready to take responsibility — they’re playing politics over the issue.”
Earlier today, Bharadwaj was spotted holding the feet of BJP leader Vijender Gupta in a bid to convince him and other BJP leaders to meet Lt Governor over the reinstatement of the bus marshals across the national capital.
This incident occurred when Atishi called a cabinet meeting in front of Delhi BJP MLAs and bus marshals to discuss the issue.
In the video clip, an AAP minister is heard claiming that the Delhi Chief Minister was seated inside Vijender Gupta’s car, accompanied by civil defence personnel. AAP legislators urged him not to evade the situation and instead attend the scheduled meeting with the Lieutenant Governor, along with the cabinet note. When the Chief Minister refused, several AAP legislators, including Bharadwaj, even resorted to touching his feet in a bid to persuade him.