 "Delhi minister, AAP leaders detained: What is the bus marshal row?")
Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Dilip Pandey, and several other party leaders were on Saturday detained while protesting outside the Lieutenant Governor’s (L-G) residence. They were objecting to the removal of bus marshals from their posts in November 2023 following row over their appointment.
Bharadwaj, in a statement to the media after being detained, claimed the Delhi government and the people were being "cheated" over the removal of the bus marshals. The protest follows growing tension between the ruling AAP and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on the reinstatement of these marshals, who were deployed to improve passenger safety on public buses.
What is the bus marshal dispute in Delhi?
The issue dates back to 2015 when the Delhi government first introduced civil defence volunteers (CDVs) as bus marshals. Their role was to ensure passenger safety in public transport buses, but controversy arose in 2023 when the state’s revenue and finance departments questioned their deployment. These departments argued that CDVs should only be engaged during natural disasters, not in transport services. Consequently, around 10,000 bus marshals were terminated in November 2023, sparking a political debate.
Former bus marshals have been actively protesting since their removal.
On Thursday, the situation escalated when they staged a demonstration near the L-G’s residence, calling for their jobs to be restored. Their demands have since led to a series of protests and heated exchanges between political parties.
AAP vs BJP: Blame game over bus marshals
The debate over reinstating the marshals has become a source of dispute between the AAP and the Opposition BJP. On Friday, both parties exchanged strong words, with Bharadwaj accusing the BJP of backtracking on its stance to support the marshals. He slammed BJP leaders for failing to show up for a scheduled meeting with the L-G, saying that neither BJP MLAs nor the L-G made any effort to save the jobs of the bus marshals.
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In response, Leader of the Opposition Vijender Gupta claimed that AAP's intentions were politically motivated, suggesting that the ruling party was exploiting the emotions of the marshals for political gain.
Parties fail to reach consensus on bus marshals
The conflict took centre stage during the Delhi Assembly session on September 26. A heated discussion led to the passing of a resolution that both AAP and BJP MLAs would meet Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on October 3 to push for the reinstatement of the marshals. However, the meeting never took place.
Following the failed meeting, Bharadwaj criticised the L-G, accusing him of ignoring the ministers and acting like a "dictator" by imposing unemployment on the youth of the capital.
AAP members meet L-G VK Saxena
Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, along with AAP and BJP MLAs, decided to submit a formal note to the L-G’s office in person on Saturday, seeking approval for the reinstatement of the marshals. The note had been previously passed unanimously by the Delhi cabinet, and the delegation hoped to secure the L-G’s agreement.
Following this, reports and video of Bharadwaj's detention emerged.
However, speaking to the media, BJP MLA Vijender Gupta confirmed that the L-G had accepted the proposal. Gupta also announced plans for BJP MLAs to meet the Chief Minister on October 5 to further discuss the reinstatement and to request provisions for reservations in the hiring process, specifically for candidates from OBC, SC, ST, and EWS categories.
(With agency inputs)