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Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal yesterday sought 10 days’ time to put a system in place to tackle people’s grievances. |
A day after he took office, hundreds of people, mainly from the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and the municipal corporation, came to visit Kejriwal with their problems.
The Aam Admi Party (AAP) leader said he wanted to put in place a system of accepting applications of people who visit him in order to be able to address them.
“Please give me a week to 10 days time to settle down. We have just assumed power. I will accept your applications when we have a system in place to resolve the problems,” he said.
The DTC and municipal employees on contract urged him to end the contract system that denies them permanent jobs - and the resultant perks. The DTC crew appeared pleased with the response.
Kejriwal, usually an early riser, got up around 8am and after his breakfast started meeting people, who had begun thronging outside his house from 7am.
AAP member Sanjay Singh held a ‘people’s court’ for an hour. They handed him their applications. Kejriwal’s secretary Rajendra Kumar and Delhi Assembly secretary P N Mishra also came to meet the chief minister.
Family doctor and friend Vipin Mittal came to meet him and advised some medication for his unrelenting cough, party aides said.
After having lunch around 2pm, the chief minister retired for some time. He met his secretary to discuss issues at around 4pm.
The Girnar Tower in Kaushambi township where Kejriwal lives with his wife, two school going children and parents has been attracting large crowds since it became known that the former income tax official would rule Delhi.
With crowds thronging the chief minister’s residence, personnel from Uttar Pradesh Police have been deployed at the entrance and a metal detector placed at the entrance to the apartment block.
According to the police, 10 men from Uttar Pradesh Police would be stationed round the clock for security.
Kejriwal, despite being persuaded several times, has remained adamant that he does not want any personal security officers from either Uttar Pradesh or Delhi.
On Sunday, he refused to meet the city magistrate of Ghaziabad who went to his residence to persuade him to accept security cover.
The chief minister has said he and his ministers will not occupy the sprawling white bungalows built by India’s former British colonial rulers. Their cars will also not have the red beacons and sirens allowing them to zip through traffic enjoyed by their predecessors.
Meanwhile, the chief minister’s father yesterday held a religious ceremony at a temple near their house for his son’s health and success.
Govind Ram Kejriwal, a retired government servant, held the ceremony at a small temple he frequents near the Girnar Tower in Kaushambi township.
The senior Kejriwal said he wanted his son to join the ‘havan’ but he could not as he was unwell.
He described Kejriwal becoming the chief minister as “people’s victory”. He added that his son, a former income tax official and an activist, had a “strong willpower.”
“They (AAP) have just started preparations for the Lok Sabha election. Many good leaders have come and met us.”
Will his become the prime minister one day?
“It is God’s decision who becomes the PM,” the father added.
Kejriwal was sworn in on Saturday as chief minister in what supporters hoped would start the clean-up of the nation’s corruption-ridden politics.
Tens of thousands of supporters cheered as 45-year-old Kejriwal took the oath of office after living up to his “common man” reputation by riding the subway to the ceremony.
The party, formed just a year ago, won 28 state seats, reducing the Congress Party to just eight seats after famously dismissing Kejriwal as “not even on our radar.”