Home minister Sushilkumar Shinde attacked Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday and called the Delhi chief minister a “mad CM” without naming him. He said that he had to cancel the leaves of Delhi policemen because of Kejriwal’s sit-in protest, which ended late Tuesday evening.

Speaking at a meeting at Maharashtra’s Hingoli, Shinde, recalling his days as a policeman, said, “When I was in Kherwadi police station in Mumbai’s Bandra area, I did not get leave because there were Sena (led) riots. Similarly, yesterday (in Delhi), because of a ‘veda mukhyamantri’ (mad chief minister) sitting there (on dharna), I had to cancel the leave of policemen.”

Earlier, Kejriwal planned to stage the sit-in protest at the home ministry with his demand that the Delhi government be handed over the control of Delhi Police, which is under the Union home ministry following the recent cases of crimes against women in the city. The Centre cordoned off the area following which, Kejriwal and his supporters staged the protest near the Rail Bhavan.

Kejriwal had called Shinde corrupt and inefficient and dared the home minister to evict him from the protest venue. He called off his protest after the Centre sent two police officers on leave against who his government had grievances.

The unprecedented action by Kejriwal and his supporters had threatened to disrupt the Republic Day celebrations in Delhi on January 26.