Kejriwal accuses PMO, Shah of impeding work

NEW DELHI:Coming down heavily on the Centre, BJP and the LG, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today accused the Prime minister’s Office (PMO) and BJP national chief Amit Shah of “orchestrating” strike by officers and intimidating” a section of them for “impeding” the AAP governments’ works and rendering it dysfunctional.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal addresses a press conference at his residence in Delhi on Monday. photo: Manas Ranjan Bhui

Ananya Panda

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 11

Coming down heavily on the Centre, BJP and the LG, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today accused the Prime minister’s Office (PMO) and BJP national chief Amit Shah of “orchestrating” strike by officers and intimidating” a section of them for “impeding” the AAP governments’ works and rendering it dysfunctional.

Kejriwal claimed the officers in Delhi have been on “illegal strike” for four months now as per the “orders from the PMO and the LG is coordinating it” while noting that the latter alleged refusal to intervene despite the AAP dispensation taking up the matter with him five times lends further credence to the claims.

On the issue, Kejriwal, accompanied by Cabinet colleagues — Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Satyendra Jain and Gopal Rai, — this evening met the LG and urged him to act against the protesting officers of the Delhi government— something turned down by Baijal, as per him. The AAP ministers also handed over a memorandum to him and refused to leave Raj Niwas until their demands were met.

However, Baijal countered taking a strong exception to the AAP ministers’ “sit-in” protest saying that he instead was “threatened” by Kejriwal demanding that officers be immediately summoned and directed to end the “so-called agitation” and give nod to the doorstep delivery of ration scheme.

“In the history of independent India this is for the first time that IAS officers are on strike for four months now. Their act is gross misconduct under AIS Conduct Rules.... The LG has done nothing to end the strike so far. How can an elected government work, if LG supports IAS officers’ strike like this,” read the letter to Baijal jointly signed by the four AAP ministers.

“This is for the first time ... the PMO and LG are instigating an active rebellion against an elected government in a state...,” they wrote.

Further, Kejriwal alleged that the Central government and PMO are consistently trying to obstruct Delhi government’s public works, including mohalla clinics, school and colleges, delivery of ration, electricity and water distribution, adding that since the AAP government was formed the PMO has “unleashed agencies, such as CBI, Police, Enforcement Directorate, Income Tax and ACB, in a bid to stall government’s works”.