New Delhi: Launching a scathing and frontal attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday accused it of trying to run Delhi through "back door" to protect the corrupt. Accusing the Centre of playing politics, Kejriwal alleged that it had "back-stabbed" the people of the city by issuing a notification "siding" with the Lieutenant Governor.
Hours after the Home Ministry issued the gazette notification saying it was not mandatory for the LG to consult the Chief Minister on matters like appointment of bureaucrats, Kejriwal said it showed the nervousness of BJP and the Centre over the anti-corruption efforts by the Aam Aadmi Party government.
The Chief Minister charged that Jung is just the face and the orders to him are coming from the PMO. "Pre-independence, Queen of England used to send notifications to the Viceroy here. Now, Jung Sahab is the Viceroy and PMO is London."
He said AAP government was taking advice from constitutional experts on the notification and a decision would be taken accordingly.
Kejriwal's deputy Manish Sisodia alleged that the development showed that Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh were "kneeling down" before corruption and the "thriving transfer-posting industry" which the AAP government had stopped in the last three months.
"Earlier, a lot of money was changing hands for transfers but now that has ended under AAP government's three-month rule. Once we did it, Congress and BJP people failed to get contracts in Delhi. Then they went to the PMO. Now, they have brought this notification as the BJP and Congress want to have their own officers in Delhi and get government contracts for their own people and that is why they want control over the transfer-posting industry through the L-G. By bringing in the notification, the Centre has back-stabbed the people of Delhi," the Chief Minister said.
In the gazette notification issued on Friday, the Union Home Ministry said that the L-G will have jurisdiction over matters connected with services, public order, police and land and he may consult with the Chief Minister whenever he thinks necessary in issues of services using his own "discretion".
Kejriwal pointed out that it also said that anti-Corruption Branch police station shall not take any cognisance of offences against officials, employees and functionaries of central government services and wondered who were the people Modi government was "trying to protect".
He said such actions amount to promoting corruption.
Claiming that his government is the "most honest" government in the history of Delhi, Kejriwal said Jung has "never asked about water or electricity supply for the people of Delhi. He is only interested in transfers and postings."
The Delhi Chief Minister said "Modi government is trying to run Delhi with three BJP MLAs through back door."
The appointment of senior bureaucrat Shakuntala Gamlin as acting Chief Secretary by LG last week had triggered a full-blown war between the ruling AAP and the Lt Governor, with Kejriwal questioning the LG's authority and accusing him of trying to take over the administration.
(With inputs from PTI)
Comments
0 comment