Kejriwal slams notification on LG's powers, says Modi running Delhi govt through back door

New Delhi: In a frontal attack on Modi government, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday accused it of trying to run Delhi through "back door" to protect the corrupt and said it had "back-stabbed" the people of the city by issuing a notification "siding" with the Lt Governor.

Hours after the Home Ministry issued the gazette notification saying it was not mandatory for the LG to consult the Chief Minister on matters like appointment of bureaucrats, Kejriwal said it showed the nervousness of BJP and the Centre over the anti-corruption efforts by his government.

The Chief Minister charged that Jung is just the face and the orders to him are coming from the PMO. "Pre-independence, Queen of England used to send notifications to the Viceroy here. Now, Jung Sahab is the Viceroy and PMO is London."

He said the AAP government was taking views of constitutional experts on the notification and a decision will be taken accordingly.

Kejriwal's deputy Manish Sisodia alleged that the development showed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh were "kneeling down" before corruption and the "thriving transfer-posting industry" which the AAP government had stopped in the last three months.

"Earlier, a lot of money was changing hands for transfers but now that has ended under AAP government's three-month rule. Once we did it, Congress and BJP people failed to get contracts in Delhi. Then they went to the PMO.

"Now, they have brought this notification as the BJP and Congress want to have their own officers in Delhi and get government contracts for their own people and that is why they want control over the transfer-posting industry through the LG. By bringing in the notification, the Centre has back-stabbed the people of Delhi," the Chief Minister told reporters.

In the gazette notification issued today, the Union Home Ministry said that the LG will have jurisdiction over matters connected with services, public order, police and land and he may consult with the Chief Minister whenever he thinks necessary in issues of services using his own "discretion".

Kejriwal pointed out that it also said that anti-Corruption Branch police station shall not take any cognisance of offences against officials, employees and functionaries of central government services and wondered who were the people Modi government was "trying to protect".

He said such actions amount to promoting corruption.

Claiming that his government is the "most honest" government in the history of Delhi, Kejriwal said Jung has "never asked about water or electricity supply for the people of Delhi. He is only interested in transfers and postings."

The Delhi Chief Minister said "Modi government is trying to run Delhi with three BJP MLAs through back door."

The appointment of senior bureaucrat Shakuntala Gamlin as acting Chief Secretary by LG last week had triggered a full-blown war between the ruling AAP and the Lt Governor, with Kejriwal questioning the LG's authority and accusing him of trying to take over the administration.  

Will the stand-off with LG dampen voter perception post AAP's Delhi victory? in Zee News's Hangs on LockerDome