 "Congress may reconsider supporting AAP: Jairam Ramesh")
In an interview to CNN-IBN, Union Minister for Rural Development Jairam Ramesh has said that the Congress party may reconsider its support to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the wake of the recent protests against the Central government and the Delhi Police.
He said the past few days have been deeply not just disappointing but also disturbing because the manner in which they are going about with the business of governance.
The Delhi CM is staging the protest to press his demand to suspend five police officials and the transfer of control of Delhi police to the state government. Delhi police are now under the administrative charge of the Union home ministry.
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On the second day of his protest, Kejriwal on Tuesday upped the ante, threatening to flood Rajpath, the venue of Republic Day celebrations, with lakhs of supporters demanding action against policemen who refused to carry out a raid on an alleged drug and prostitution ring.
He ruled out any negotiations to scale down the protest, saying the safety of women in the capital is not a matter of negotiation.
Union Home Minister Shinde, who met the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday, has turned down both demands. A retired judge is probing the incidents in which two AAP groups asked the police to raid private homes to bust alleged drug-and-sex rackets and register a dowry torture case. The Centre has said action can be taken only on the basis of the probe report.
The AAP boss has threatened to continue the dharna for 10 days if his demand is not accepted. His firm stance also casts a shadow on this year's Republic Day celebrations, as it might not be possible to hold a parade if a stalemate continues. The Delhi Police, on its part, has made it clear it will not countenance disruption of Republic Day.