New Delhi, Dec 30 Calling it a disrespect to Baba Saheb Ambedkar, Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena on Monday hit out at former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s remark describing Atishi as “temporary CM”.
He also objected to “baseless statements” made by the AAP convenor in CM Atishi’s presence to project her in bad light or as a clueless head of government.
Showering praise on CM Atishi for shouldering the responsibility of CMO unlike Kejriwal “who never signed a file”, L-G Saxena wrote in a letter in Hindi to her and said, “I found it very objectionable and hurt when your predecessor Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal publicly declared you as a temporary caretaker Chief Minister in the media. This was not only an insult to you but also to the President of India and to me as her representative.”
“The public definition of temporary or caretaker Chief Minister given by Kejriwal has no constitutional provision and it is also a reprehensible disregard of the democratic spirit and values enshrined in the Constitution drafted by Baba Saheb Ambedkar,” he said.
The L-G’s letter to CM Atishi ahead of Assembly elections, due in February next year, looks to highlight the perceived cracks within the ruling AAP whose convenor Kejriwal has shown little respect for his own colleagues.
In his letter, the L-G also sympathised with CM Atishi for the confusion and embarrassment caused to her after two departments of the Delhi Government issued public notices in the Press warning people to be cautious about registrations being done by the former Chief Minister for non-existent schemes – Mahila Samman Yojana and Sanjeevani health scheme for the elderly.
“This is an unprecedented development and must have been unsettling for you,” he wrote.
L-G Saxena noted that the manner in which Kejriwal made unauthorised announcements of the schemes for senior citizens and women in the name of the Chief Minister had tarnished the dignity of the post of the Chief Minister and the Council of Ministers.
He also pointed to Kejriwal’s claim that the Transport Department and other investigation agencies had launched a probe against CM Atishi to send her to jail. “Such baseless statements by Kejriwal indicate that you were unaware of the activities of the departments working under you,” wrote the Delhi L-G.
Though the L-G has praised CM Atishi on a number of occasions, on Independence Day he had refused her permission to hoist the national flag at an official event despite her name being recommended by jailed CM Kejriwal. She took oath as Kejriwal’s successor in September.
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