New Delhi, Apr 1 (IANS): Aam Admi Party (AAP) volunteers were stopped by police here Monday as they headed to Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit's house to deliver lakhs of letters protesting "inflated water and power bills".
Police stopped 272 auto-rickshaws at Bhairon Marg near Pragati Maidan in east Delhi carrying AAP volunteers, with Arvind Kejriwal's supporters walking alongside. Many of them carried Indian national flags and shouted anti-government slogans.
"Delhi Police stopped us on Bhairon Marg near Pragati Maidan. They said they cannot allow so many auto-rickshaws and people to go to the chief minister's residence. Police said they would arrange four buses to ferry representatives who will hand over the letters to Dikshit," AAP spokesperson Aswathi Muralidharan told IANS.
The 272 auto-rickshaws represented the 272 municipal wards in Delhi.
The unique protest began from Sundar Nagri area where AAP founder leader Kejriwal's indefinite hunger strike against the allegedly inflated utility bills entered the 10th day Monday.
Kejriwal was not participating in the march to Dikshit's house.
Around six lakh residents of the capital had signed the protest letters.
The protest journey began despite Delhi Police's refusal to allow so many auto-rickshaws to go to the chief minister's house.
Kejriwal's health is reportedly stable. Doctors said he had lost seven kg since he began his fast March 23.