Delhi BJP workers stage protest demanding reappointment of civil defence volunteers, detained

Scores of BJP workers were detained by the Delhi police when they were staging a demonstration near Chief Minister Atishi’s residence demanding immediate reappointment of 10,000 civil defence volunteers (CDVs) who were removed last year as bus marshals.

The BJP workers including party’s Delhi president Virendra Sachdeva were bundled into waiting police vehicles and taken away.

“Some BJP workers were detained and were removed from the protest site to maintain law and order,” a senior police officer said.

Leading the protesters, Sachdeva accused Atishi of failing to do anything for reappointment of the bus marshals.

The chief minister should explain why her government did not issue orders for the reappointment of bus marshals despite direction by the Lt Governor V K Saxena to reinstate them from November 1, he said.

Atishi had said on Sunday that the deployment of the CDVs with various agencies implementing anti-air pollution measures in the city will begin in the next two-four days.

She had also said a proposal for permanent engagement of the removed CDVs will be sent for approval of the LG in the next one week.

The LG had earlier written to Atishi, saying he was yet to receive a proposal from her government to reappoint the CDVs. He urged the chief minister to expedite the process.

The 10,000 CDVs working as marshals in public transport buses were removed from their jobs in November last year after objections were raised that they were deployed against the mandate to serve for disaster mitigation works.