Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal meets disabled at janta darbar

GHAZIABAD: Physically disabled people were given preference on the second day of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's janta darbar at the Aam Aadmi Party's Kaushambi office here that lasted more than an hour today.

A three-tier security ring was thrown around the CM during the public interaction which was attended by more than 500 people including well-wishers who came with sweets and garlands.

"CM wanted to meet the disabled first, so they were given preference, irrespective of their time of arrival," Ghaziabad City Magistrate Kapil Singh, who was supervising the event, said.

Complainants started trooping in as early as 8 AM for the session that started at 10 AM. Later, groups of 10 people, five men and five women were allowed to meet the CM in batches.

Around 11.30 AM, Kejriwal came out and appealed to the gathering, who were still awaiting their turn, to submit their grievances to the officials.

"I am leaving from here, as I have to attend a very important meeting. But do not go from here, until your concerns are submitted to the officers here, because you have voted me to solve your problems," he said.

Amit Chhabaria, a senior official from the CM office, said, "We are collecting the complaint letters which would be sent to respective authorities to take action accordingly."

But few people were disappointed with the arrangement. "We came here to put our grievances before Kejriwal only, but it is very sad that he left without hearing our complaint," said Manoj Kushwaha, who came from Dwarka.

Meanwhile, party volunteers clarified that Kejriwal would be holding meetings between 10 AM to 11 AM on each Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Visually impaired 45-year-old Prem Kumar, who could meet the Chief Minister, said, "Kejriwal expressed his inability to give me employment, but he assured me to do something for my accommodation requirements."

Malviya Nagar MLA Somnath Bharti also met Kejriwal along with 'Brahmakumari sisters'. He, however, expressed reservation over the term 'janta darbar'.

"Janta darbar's concept was coined during monarchical regimes when Raja used to meet Praja. Kejriwal doesn't consider himself as Raja, rather he considers himself as Praja," he said.