Scores of civil defence volunteers protested on Monday in central Delhi over termination of their services by the city government last year. They staged a protest at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) headquarters to demand their reinstatement. Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena had in October last year approved a proposal of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to terminate the services of all civil defence volunteers with effect from November 1, 2023. Paramjeet, a civil defence volunteer, said, "We have gathered to protest against our termination. Since last year, we have been protesting but to no avail. We want that we should be reinstated," he said.

Slogans like 'Taanashahi nahi chalegi', 'AAP sarkar hosh mein aao', were raised outside the party office. There was a heavy deployment of paramilitary and police personnel outside the party office.

"We demand that we should be reinstated within three days. If it is not done, we will sit on a fast unto death outside the residence of every minister and every AAP MLA," said another protester.

The Civil Defence Act, 1968, defines the civil defence volunteers' role as measures which do not amount to actual combat but provide protection to any person, property, place or thing against any hostile attack.

Their job is to assist the local administration, but in Delhi, they were employed as bus marshals and played key roles during government campaigns like 'Red Light On, Gaadi Off' and the odd-even car-rationing scheme.

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