Delhi minister Gopal Rai
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Tuesday alleged that the Delhi Police stopped the government's 'Harit Kalash Yatra,' an awareness campaign of tree plantation in Connaught Place here following orders from Lt Governor V K Saxena.
The 'Harit Kalash Yatra' was scheduled to be held on Tuesday morning as part of Delhi government's winter action plan to combat pollution.
"Last night, L-G sahab issued a directive through the police, and today our tree plantation programme in Connaught Place, aimed at curbing pollution, was stopped," Gopal Rai told reporters.
"Around 1,500 women had come from different parts of Delhi, and despite having permission from the Police, as soon as the women lifted the Kalash on their heads, the police cancelled the programme even before I could even reach," Rai said.
Rai also criticised the move, accusing the police and L-G of stifling the event while neglecting the city's rising crime.
"While crime is rampant, the police are busy removing women involved in an awareness programme instead of catching gangsters," Rai said.
Expressing his disappointment at the disruption, Rai questioned the L-G’s stance on environmental efforts, stating, "The L-G cuts thousands of trees without any permission, and now he chases away those running a campaign for tree plantation with police force."
"The L-G doesn’t require any permission to cut 1,000 trees, but when the Delhi government organises an awareness programme with all necessary permissions, it is forcibly shut down," Rai alleged.
According to Rai, the event was progressing smoothly until the police intervened.
Meanwhile, Delhi Police on Monday banned protests and the gathering of five or more persons in central and bordering areas of the city for the next six days, citing law and order issues.
According to an order issued by the Delhi Police Headquarters, Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora has directed the imposition of Section 163 (previously Section 144 of CrPC) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita in the districts of New Delhi, North, and Central, and in all police jurisdictions sharing borders with other states.
The prohibitory order will remain in effect until October 5, the order stated.