AAP vs officials: Have asked for report on incident from Delhi Lt Governor, says Rajnath Singh

Delhi Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash was allegedly manhandled by a few AAP MLAs at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence, an official said on Tuesday.

File photo (PTI)

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday sought report over the alleged assault of Delhi Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash, saying he was 'deeply pained' by the incident.

"I am deeply pained by the happenings involving the chief secretary of the Delhi government. Civil servants should be allowed to work with dignity and without fear," he said. 

"The MHA has sought a report on the incident from the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi. Justice will be done. A delegation of IAS DANICS and Subordinate Services of Delhi government met me today (Tuesday) and apprised me of the prevailing situation," Singh said, as per ANI.

The MHA has sought a report on the incident from the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi. Justice will be done. A delegation of IAS DANICS & Subordinate Services of Delhi Government met me today and apprised me of the prevailing situation. — Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) February 20, 2018

Meanwhile, DN Singh, Delhi Administrative Subordinate Services president said, "Till action is not taken we are not going to resume work. HM has said he has asked for a report."

On the other hand, Manisha Saxena, IAS association secretary said, "Met LG and put forward our concerns. Chief secretary was called for a meeting late at night. CM, Deputy CM and MLAs were there, when CS reached he was roughed up. Since few years such things have been happening, officers have been insulted and humiliated."

We stand by the resolution of Delhi IAS Association and demand immediate action against the perpetrators of this shameful act. pic.twitter.com/GZfLdtbTO0 — IAS Association (@IASassociation) February 20, 2018

Delhi Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash was allegedly manhandled by a few AAP MLAs at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence, an official said, even as the CM's office dismissed the accusation as "bizarre and baseless".

The incident took place on Monday night in the presence of Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, a senior official alleged.

Prakash was called by Kejriwal regarding the issue of advertisements, which were not being released, the official said.

However, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) claimed he had been called for a discussion on rations. "The allegation of assault is totally bizarre and baseless," added a senior official of the CM's office.

AAP's response to false allegations by Chief Secretary

pic.twitter.com/dl3M2MrXW6 — AAP (@AamAadmiParty) February 20, 2018

"There was a heated exchange at the meeting last night. During the argument, two-three AAP MLAs manhandled him... The CS's spectacles also got broken," alleged a senior IAS official, who did not wish to be named, PTI reported.

After the incident, the chief secretary met Lt Governor Anil Baijal on Monday night and apprised him of the incident, he added.

The IAS officers association met Baijal on Tuesday and lodged a protest over the issue. 

AAP countered the allegation with a statement that about 2.5 lakh families were deprived of rations last month due to faulty Aadhaar implementation and party MLAs were under tremendous pressure from the public.

"There was a meeting of MLAs at the CM's residence. The CS refused to answer questions, saying that he was not answerable to MLAs and the CM, and that he was answerable only to the LG. He (Prakash) even used bad language against some of the MLAs and left without answering any questions," the party claimed in a statement.

It described as "false information" claims that the meeting and the argument was about TV ads. The entire discussion was on a large number of families, who were not getting their rations, it said.

"Now he (CS) is making such ludicrous allegations. Obviously, he is doing it at BJP’s behest. The BJP has stooped very low in disrupting governance in Delhi through the LG and officers. If the CS can make such wild allegations, one can imagine the kind of obstacles that are being created in AAP government’s work by the BJP through the officers," it said.

The bureaucracy and the AAP-led Delhi government have long been at loggerheads.

In December 2015, IAS and DANICS officers went on mass leave against the suspension of two special home secretaries by Home Minister Satyendar Jain. 

(With Agency inputs)