Sisodia seeks L-G intervention, says ‘strike’ hurting govt work

NEWDELHI: Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia on Monday wrote to Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, requesting his intervention as officers continued to boycott meetings with ministers, which Sisodia said was “hampering” government work.

He said officers refused to attend two important meetings in the afternoon on Monday.

He claimed that principal secretary (finance) and secretary (art and culture) cancelled a meeting of the General Council of the Delhi Sanskrit Academy. Another meeting on mid-day meals was skipped by the officers of the education department, he alleged.

Informing Baijal that the two meetings have been rescheduled, Sisodia requested him to “order all officers to resume work with immediate effect”.

He requested L-G’S attention to a national seminar on improving school education scheduled for Tuesday.

“I would like to request you to kindly ensure that the officers attend these meetings and the national seminar tomorrow,” he said.

On February 24, Sisodia along with the council of ministers had met the L-G on the same issue.

In Monday’s letter, the deputy CM stressed that a list of eight meetings, which did not take place, were handed over to Baijal after which he had assured of taking measures to get officers back to work.

“However, it is a matter of utmost regret that despite the assurance given by you, the officers are continuing to boycott meetings called by their respective ministers,” he wrote.

Calling it a “worrisome situation”, he wrote that senior IAS officers among others were “openly and blatantly refusing to attend meetings”.