Arvind Kejriwal issues second order from ED custody; BJP demands his resignation

Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday issued his second order from Enforcement Directorate's custody, directing health minister Saurabh Bharadwaj to address essential medical services, triggering a fresh demand from the Opposition BJP for his resignation.

Kejriwal directed Bharadwaj to ensure essential medicines and services for the common man at mohalla clinics and Delhi hospitals. Addressing a press conference, Bharadwaj said, "The CM has received information that people are facing difficulties in the tests carried out at mohalla clinics. He has issued me a direction in this regard. In his direction he said that free medicines are not available in some of the Delhi hospitals and mohalla clinics. Besides, free tests are also not being conducted in some of them. He has directed me to solve these issues. I want to assure the people of Delhi that even if your CM is in jail, he is only thinking about you."

Meanwhile, the AAP government said it had decided to convene a day-long session of Delhi assembly on Wednesday. However, officials in the lieutenant-governor (L-G) Vinai Saxena's office said no file had been sent for convening a special session.


Kejriwal's second order triggered another war of words between AAP and BJP, with the latter giving a written complaint to the LG to order a probe into how the CM was giving directives to ministers. Kejriwal is in ED custody and meets his lawyers every day at around 7 pm. It is unclear if he is passing the directives through his lawyers as written statements. Hitting out at AAP, BJP's national secretary Manjinder Singh Sirsa said, "This is a fraud. I have given a written complaint to L-G to probe how these orders have been passed and conveyed. You mean to say that sitting in ED custody Kejriwal knows about health facilities more than the health minister who is out? We have asked L-G to take action against Atishi for showing a fake order and using it to mislead the public."

The state unit of BJP held a protest at Delhi Secretariat demanding Kejriwal's resignation. AAP rejected the demand saying the CM has the mandate of the people. "Senior minister Gopal Rai said, "Resignation? Why should he resign? Kejriwal ji has just won a confidence motion in Delhi assembly. This clearly shows he has the mandate."