Chief Secretary working with BJP, says Delhi government

Delhi Chief Secretary M.M. Kutty on Friday refused Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's direction to order an inquiry into the metro fare hike, a state government statement said and added that he is working with the BJP.

The fares were increased from Tuesday despite strong opposition from the Delhi government, which had locked horns with the Delhi Metro Rail Corp (DMRC) over the hike -- the second this year.

Kutty on Friday afternoon refused to order the inquiry and when the Chief Minister summoned him in the evening, the Chief Secretary again refused to order an inquiry , according to the statement.

The refusal once again makes it clear that he has the "backing" of the Bharatiya Janata Party and Central government, the statement said.

The Delhi government will now look into the options available in dealing with such dereliction of duty by bureaucrats.

"The behaviour of the Chief Secretary makes it obvious that he is taking orders from the BJP and is acting against the elected government of Delhi which is unconstitutional and undemocratic," it said.

The statement added that bureaucrats like Kutty must have sabotaged the Delhi government's stand on the metro fare hike in the DMRC board meetings.

--IANS

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