Delhi L-G slams ministers for refusing to attend meetings

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 8

The Lieutenant-Governor (L-G) Secretariat shot off a letter to Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla on Monday, accusing top Delhi ministers of showing insensitivity by refusing to attend meetings called by L-G VK Saxena to discuss health and water-related issues following CM Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest and absence.

The letter mentioned that the L-G proposed meetings twice with key ministers responsible for departments such as water, education, health, transport, environment and forest.

“The L-G had asked for a meeting with the ministers twice on March 29 and April 2. However, ministers, especially Health Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj, under fire from the Delhi High Court over lack of health infrastructure in the city, instead of solving issues, indulged in public mudslinging and refused to meet the

L-G, citing lame excuses,” the letter said.

It said other key ministers of GNCTD — Gopal Rai, Kailash Gahlot and Atishi also displayed “lack of seriousness and sensitivity”.

“They declined to attend the meeting with the L-G on the matters affecting the day-to-day lives of the citizens of Delhi,” the letter read.

Expressing concern over the ministers’ refusal to participate in key meets, the L-G Secretariat underscored the necessity of such consultations to ensure uninterrupted governance. “The rationale adduced for not attending the meeting appears vague and exhibits lack of seriousness and insensitivity to matters affecting the citizens’ lives,” the L-G secretariat said.

It added, “Upon the arrest of Kejriwal and subsequent events, especially those related to public health infrastructure in the city, including the impending Summer Action Plan for water availability, the L-G decided to convene a meeting of key ministers of the Delhi government.”

The communication from the L-G Secretariat to the Union Home Secretary gains significance as on April 4, Bhardwaj, who had declined to attend the meeting convened by Saxena, wrote a note highlighting the severe shortage of basic medical supplies at Dr Hedgewar Arogya Sansthan and Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalaya.

“The very next day, the L-G wrote back to the minister expressing deep concerns regarding the deteriorating state of the Delhi model of healthcare delivery, likening it to being on ‘life support ventilator’. The L-G also reminded Bhardwaj of disregarding his invitations to discuss critical healthcare issues,” it said.

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