Bharti row: Kejriwal meets Delhi Lt Governor

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday met Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung and is believed to have discussed the controversy surrounding State Law Minister Somnath Bharti, who is under attack for allegedly leading a mob in a midnight raid in south Delhi.

The meeting came a day after various women rights activists and the Delhi Commission for Women sought action against Mr. Bharti for allegedly taking law into his hands.

The AAP government has come under attack from rivals and women’s activists who said the Chief Minister had staged a two-day dharna in the name of women’s safety but was following “double standards” on the issue of the Minister.

Mr. Bharti was involved in a row with the police last week when they refused to raid an alleged drug and prostitution racket following which he allegedly led his supporters in forcing African women to give urine samples.

The AAP has advised him to be “careful and humble” while making public statements.

One of the African women, who has recorded her statement before a magistrate, had said she identified Mr. Bharti as having led the group that barged into her house and attacked them.

“We were attacked on Wednesday night by Indians who were led by Somnath Bharti...We were harassed, we were beaten, they were having long sticks. They said we should leave their country or else they would kill us one by one,” the Ugandan national had said.

Mr. Bharti has refused to make any comment on the demands for his removal while the party and his colleagues came in his defence, saying any citizen, more so a Minister, has the right to ask police to act on any illegal activity.