CHIEF SECY DID NOT ACCEPT BUDGET FILES AT RESIDENCE: GOVT
NEWDELHI: The tussle between the bureaucracy and the political executive in Delhi took another turn on Sunday, when the government accused chief secretary Anshu Prakash of refusing to accept budget-related files at his residence on Sunday afternoon.
The government issued a statement accusing the chief secretary of not accepting “important files”, while the officials of Joint Forum of Delhi Government Employees (comprising of officers from IAS, DANICS and DASS) termed the allegations as yet another effort to “intimidate” the chief secretary.
On Sunday, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s media advisor Nagendar Sharma tweeted, “Delhi chief secretary refuses to accept files on Sunday at his residence, sent by CM, related to budget speech on mohalla and polyclinics, stating files be sent to his office tomorrow (Monday) during working hours.”
A senior officer of the joint forum, who did not wish to be named due to the sensitive nature of the matter, said, “There was no message from the CM’S office or residence regarding the files being sent to the chief secretary’s house. The chief secretary was not at home and the staff at his residence have instructions not to accept any closed packets. The files in question were sent in a closed packet.”
The official added that the chief secretary does not “directly deal with the budget”. “They are trying to intimidate him. Files related to the budget are dealt by principal secretary (finance) who reports to state finance minister,” the official said.
In the evening, the government released a statement that the files sent to the chief secretary were related to “fixing accountability” in setting up of mohalla clinics and polyclinics.
The tussle between the AAP government and the bureaucrats erupted after chief secretary Anshu Prakash last month alleged that he was assaulted by AAP MLAS in a meeting at Kejriwal’s residence on the night of February 19. Following the incident the bureaucrats have resolved to boycott all meetings.