Kejriwal, Jung call on Prez to resolve tussle
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Najeeb Jung have called on President Pranab Mukherjee to sort out their differences.
On Tuesday, both Kejriwal and Jung visited the Rashtrapati Bhavan, separately, and put forward their views on the administrative altercation that has engulfed the capital, with bureaucrats caught in the crossfire.
The political overtones of the slugfest were evident with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley mincing no words while commenting on this. “The people of Delhi experimented with a new party, but it is a very costly experiment because governance is not their political agenda.”
Kejriwal, on the other hand, has time and again claimed that Jung has been acting at the behest of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government.
The Delhi chief minister was seeking an appointment with the President since Saturday. But the L- G made it a point to meet him before Kejriwal, to apprise him of the “Constitutional crisis-like situation in Delhi”.
After meeting the President, he met Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who accompanied Kejriwal to the Rashtrapati Bhavan, told reporters that the L-G was acting as if Delhi was still under President’s rule.
“The L-G is acting as if there is no elected government here,” he said. “Despite having a democratically elected government, he is bypassing the chief minister and ministers and issuing instructions to officers. He is even threatening them with transfers if they do not follow his orders. It is not good for democracy.” Sisodia also said: “We told the President that we accepted the LG’s decision to appoint acting chief secretaries even without consulting us. But even after that, he has been appointing officers bypassing the elected government. He is even interfering in the appointments of secretaries and directly ordering them.”
The power struggle became apparent since Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) formed the government and escalated with Jung appointing Shakuntala Gamlin as the “acting chief secretary”. Gamlin took charge despite the chief minister instructing her not to.
Things took a turn for the worse as the government removed Anindo Majumdar, appointed Arvind Ray as the officer who issued Gamlin principal secretary, general the appointment letter, and the administration department, lieutenant governor promptly bypassing Jung. declared the chief minister’s Both camps are seeking legal order “void.” opinion on the present crisis
The duel was enacted in full and experts, too, seem undecided public glare with letters being about it. released and press releases Senior advocates Rajeev issued by both sides. On Dhavan and Indira Jaisingh are Monday, Majumdar was locked of the opinion that the government out of his office in the Delhi in the right while constitutional Secretariat. expert Subhash
Jung has claimed that he Kashyap holds a contrary view has been acting according to the — that the L-G was acting within Constitution, which gives him his powers. the right to appoint and transfer The home ministry, too, has bureaucrats. The government also sought the opinion of the and AAP, on the other hand, attorney-general on the responsibilities have slammed him for acting and duties of the lieutenant “unconstitutionally”. governor.
Delhi is under the administrative Civil servants who are facing control of the central the brunt of the ongoing Home ministry. tussle are on tenterhooks.
Kejriwal’s government, too, At least a dozen senior has displayed defiance. Despite officers working with the Jung rejecting the chief minister’s Delhi government have orders appointing Rajender reportedly approached the Kumar as secretary, services, home ministry to get postings and claiming that Majumdar outside. These include officers continues to hold the post, of both Indian Kumar has been the de facto in Administrative Service and charge at the Secretariat. Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar
On Tuesday, the government Islands Service cadre.
L-G made it a point to meet the President before Kejriwal, to apprise him of the “Constitutional crisis-like situation in Delhi”