Kejriwal blames Modi government for court violence

New Delhi, Feb 18  Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday blamed the central government for the violence that took place in the Patiala House Courts complex here on two days.

Kejriwal told the media after meeting President Pranab Mukherjee that Delhi Police would not have remained mute spectators during the violence in the court if they were not directed to do so.

This means the central government -- to which Delhi Police report as their administrative authority -- was to blame for what happened in the court on Monday and Wednesday, he said.

The Aam Aadmi Party leader added that the attacks on Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students and journalists by a section of lawyers within the court premises on Monday and Wednesday were a "challenge" to the Supreme Court's authority.

"The Delhi police is a uniformed force... If its master says don't do anything, they won't do anything. If the master tells them to shoot, they will shoot," Kejriwal said, adding: "Their master is central government... this is the dictatorship of the prime minister (Narendra Modi)."

"We raised these issues with the President. Who will decide who is anti-national?" he asked.

Kejriwal also asked why the police have been unable to arrest those who raised the "anti-national slogans".

"They cannot catch the boys who shouted slogans, shame on such a police force," he said.