I’m an elected CM, not a terrorist, says Kejriwal Dozens stage protest against govt decision

Lashing out at lieutenantgovernor Anil Baijal for “opposing” a Bill to regularise guest teachers in the city, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said, “I am an elected chief minister, not a terrorist.” At a daylong session of the Delhi Assembly, Mr Kejriwal launched a scathing attack against the L-G, BJP and the bureaucracy, alleging a nexus between them, which prompted a walkout by the Opposition.

“Hum Delhi ke maalik hai (we are Delhi’s masters), not the bureaucracy,” he asserted at one point, which was greeted with loud cheers and table thumping by the AAP MLAs.

He was taking part in a discussion on a Bill introduced in the Assembly to regularise the employment of around 15,000 guest teachers (working on contractual basis) in Delhi government-run schools. The Bill was later passed through voice vote.

Registering his objection, Mr Baijal had said that matters relating to “services” fall beyond the legislative competence of the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi and that the proposed legislation was not in accordance with the constitutional scheme.

Mr Kejriwal alleged that the files relating to the regularisation of the teachers were never shown to deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia by the officials on the direction of the L-G.

“What state secrets do these files contain that they cannot be shown to us? I want to tell the L-G that I am an elected CM of Delhi and not a terrorist. He (Mr Sisodia) is an elected education minister, not a terrorist,” Mr Kejriwal said.

The AAP chief’s combative speech came after a long gap when he remained unusually quiet, even on social media, refraining from attacking the Opposition or PM Narendra Modi. Mr Kejriwal also took exception to the L-G’s objection that the government did not consult the law department before introducing the Bill.

“People did not elect the law secretary, they elected us. The country is run on democracy, not bureaucracy. We are Delhi’s masters. They (bureaucrats) will follow our orders,” he said.

Since storming to power in 2015, the AAP and the bureaucracy have shared an uneasy relationship with frequent run ins over matters of jurisdiction.

During the session, Mr Sisodia affirmed that the Bill was introduced after due legal consultations.

During the debate, Opposition leader Vijender Gupta said the AAP government’s real intention was not regularisation, but politicisation of the issue. Around two-dozen people staged a protest outside the Delhi Assembly on Wednesday against the Bill that seeks to regularise guest teachers. The Bill was passed during the one-day special session of the Delhi Assembly, convened by the Aam Aadmi Party government on Wednesday. The Bill, which was approved by the Delhi Cabinet last week, seeks to regularise 15,000 guest teachers in Delhi government schools.

The protesters, who claimed to be aspirants, demanded holding of a competitive exam for all aspirants and not to give

special treatment to guest teachers.

They said that injustice was being done to them by giving preference to guest teachers.