AAP MLA Somnath Bharti, party members arrested in Chennai

Chennai: Somnath Bharti, an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator from Delhi, was arrested along with other party members on Tuesday in Chennai as they marched towards Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalithaa’s house demanding a Lokayukta, an anti-corruption ombudsman, in the state.

AAP members burned copies of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) election manifesto saying the state government has failed to fulfil election promises.

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AIADMK in its manifesto promised a Lokayukta, an authority constituted at the state level that investigates allegations of corruption against public servants, and pledged speedy redressal of public grievances.

“This manifesto is cheating on the people of Tamil Nadu,” said Bharti. “It (manifesto) is a matter of trust and this amounts to criminal breach of trust.”

S.A.N. Vasigaran, convener of the AAP’s Tamil Nadu unit, has been on a fast for the past 10 days demanding a Lokayukta.

Former Tamil Nadu governor K. Rosaiah, while addressing the first session of the 15th Tamil Nadu assembly in June announced that the ruling party will introduce a Lokayukta.