Officers' suspension 'an ego fight between state and Centre': Congress

Criticising the suspension of two senior officers of the Delhi Home Department, the Congress Party on Thursday said it is an ego fight between the state and the Centre, wherein the people of the national capital are suffering.

"This is the rift between the Delhi Government and the Centre. In that tussle, the people of Delhi are getting suppressed. They made different decisions and there was situation of conflict. Earlier, there was confusion whether the files will go to the LG or not. Now, he is saying he won't sign on the cabinet decisions. So, somewhere, there is a conspiracy," Congress leader J.P. Aggarwal told ANI.

Aggarwal pointed out that governing doesn't mean dictatorship and it is important to take decision by having dialogue and discussions.

"I think, the Delhi Government runs away from dialogue. Officers work with the government. It is important to talk, rather than issuing dictator orders. This is a fight of ego," he added.

Echoing similar sentiments, Congress leader Tom Vadakkan said, "You need the officials to run the administration. You have the Home Minister of the state saying he doesn't need any officials to run the state, which is apparent that the Home Minister's knowledge about how the system runs, is quiet null and void, that he can run the government without officials."

Vadakkan further said that the government officials won't work on the 'fatwas' of the Delhi Government and they will protest and create problems for the government.

The reaction of the Congress Party comes after the Delhi Government had yesterday suspended two senior officers of its Home Department after they refused to sign on a Cabinet decision file, following which around 200 DANICS-cadre officers have threatened to go on mass leave today.

Yashpal Garg, special secretary (Prosecution), and Subhash Chandra, special secretary (Prisons), have been suspended.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) however has declared the suspension order 'non est' (null and void).

The MHA received Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung's reference of suspension of two officers of DANICS and then declared Delhi Government's suspension order null and void.

Following the threat of strike, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Vijender Gupta had also asserted that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal should immediately resign on moral grounds.

"This is a very big issue that DANICS-cadre officers are on mass leave today. The way Kejriwal is running the government has created mess. I don't think the Delhi Government has any right to be in power for even one day. The Chief Minister should answer as to why such situation has arised,"

"Chief Minister Kejriwal should immediately resign on moral grounds. The two officers were suspended without any reason because they refused to accept the illegal deeds of the Chief Minister," he added.