Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj detained amid bus marshals protest

Delhi Cabinet Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj and several AAP MLAs and leaders were detained by the Delhi Police today during a protest over the reinstatement of bus marshals. The protest, held near Chandgi Ram Akhara in Civil Lines, aimed to pressure Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena to act on a Legislative Assembly resolution passed on September 26. This resolution called for the reinstatement and regularisation of bus marshals, a demand supported by both AAP and BJP MLAs.

Saurabh Bharadwaj addressed the protest, emphasising the struggles of thousands of bus marshals who have been without income for over a year. “They have families to support, rent to pay, and children to educate,” he said. Despite the unanimous assembly resolution, the L-G has yet to meet with the marshals or legislators to address their demands.

Tensions escalated as protesters alleged the Delhi Police cut off power and water supply to the protest site. Bharadwaj condemned this move as an intimidation tactic. The protest turned heated after the detentions, with AAP leaders vowing to continue until the L-G meets with them.

Bharadwaj accused BJP and L-G of conspiring to strip Delhi’s contractual workers of their livelihoods. “This is not just about bus marshals; it’s about contractual employees across Delhi,” he said. AAP may explore legal options if the L-G’s office fails to act on the assembly’s resolution.