Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal with residents of Vikaspuri strews garbage outside former Delhi CM and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal’s residence during a protest, in New Delhi, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. | Photo Credit: PTI

AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal detained for dumping garbage outside Kejriwal's residence

Earlier in the day, Mr. Maliwal visited Vikaspuri, where she claimed that the streets were choked with waste, posing severe health and hygiene issues for residents

by · The Hindu

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal was detained by the police on Thursday (January 30, 2025) afternoon after she dumped three mini-truckloads of garbage outside the residence of former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in protest.

Earlier in the day, Mr. Maliwal visited Vikaspuri, where she claimed that the streets were choked with waste, posing severe health and hygiene issues for residents.

Ms. Maliwal, along with a group of supporters, collected the garbage in three mini trucks and headed to Mr. Kejriwal's residence at 5, Ferozeshah Road.

Accompanied by hundreds of women holding placards that read, "Muskuraiye, AAP Delhi Mein Hain," Ms. Maliwal dumped the garbage outside Kejriwal's house, using a shovel to throw waste onto the ground. Soon after, she was confronted by female police personnel and removed from the site. She was subsequently detained and taken to the Parliament Street Police Station.

According to Ms. Maliwal, she was released after a few hours and an FIR was registered against her under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code for violating prohibitory orders.

Police detain Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal after she dumped garbage outside AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal’s residence in protest over cleanliness, in New Delhi on Thursday. | Photo Credit: ANI

After her release, Ms. Maliwal told reporters, "For the past ten years, Arvind Kejriwal has ensured that Delhi becomes a giant garbage dump. Roads are broken, drains are overflowing, and waste is piling up everywhere. Women and children are forced to live in unhygienic conditions, and yet the government does nothing."

Earlier, Ms. Maliwal shared a video on X, showing her and others collecting garbage from Vikaspuri. "There have been heaps of garbage on the roads in Vikaspuri for years. People are very angry. They are going to collect all this garbage and dump it at Mr. Kejriwal's house," she wrote in the post.

She added, "The condition of the entire Delhi has deteriorated. The filth and stink that Delhiites face daily will be faced by Kejriwal ji today. The public is coming, Kejriwal ji, don't be afraid."

Ms. Maliwal has had a strained relationship with AAP and Kejriwal since last year when she alleged that she was misbehaved with at his residence by his personal secretary. The matter is currently being heard in court.

Published - January 31, 2025 03:34 am IST