AAP planned Chief Secretary attack to divert attention: Congress

The Congress on Wednesday called the alleged assault on Delhi Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash by two AAP MLAs a "planned strategy" of the ruling party and demanded Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal apologise to the bureaucrat.

"The case of assault on Chief Secretary is a very shameful act and the situation of administrative paralysis is very dangerous for the national capital," Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken told the media after meeting Lt Governor Anil Baijal along with three-time Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.

"We have met the LG and demanded security to the officials so that they can work with dignity and there is no political pressure on them."

He alleged the Kejriwal government has "failed on all fronts in the last three years. And thus it was a fully planned strategy of the AAP to divert the attention of people from their failures".

The Congress leader's remarks come in the wake of the assault on Prakash late on Monday.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Prakash Jarwal was arrested on Tuesday while legislator Amanatullah Khan surrendered at a police station on Wednesday. Chief Minister's advisor V.K. Jain was also questioned in connection with the alleged assault.

Maken also said that "under Dikshit government there were a number of times when MLAs and officials differed on several issues".

"But she has directed all the MLAs to maintain the dignity of the bureaucrats. And for 15 years, we worked with all these officials and were able to win six elections.

"When we can get the work done from these officials with dignity, why cannot the Kejriwal government?" Maken asked.

He said that even the during the first six years in office in Delhi between 1998 and 2004, when the Bharatiya Janata Party was in power at Centre, the Congress too did not get officials as per their requests.

"But we worked with them. It happened because we maintained the dignity of the officials and worked for the people.

"We demand that Kejriwal apologise to officials; also, strict action should be taken against the accused. We also demand that the LG ensure the safety of officials and Kejriwal should not look for reasons for not working," he added.

On Tuesday, the IAS Association said the bureaucrats would not meet or talk over the phone to Kejriwal, his ministers or MLAs till Kejriwal apologises for the assault.

--IANS

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