Requested twice for meeting LG, denied appointment: Delhi Speaker

Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel on Wednesday said Lt Governor Anil Baijal had "violated Indian culture" by not giving him time for a meeting despite two requests.

Goel told the media here that he had written two letters to the Lt Governor, on January 4 and 10, asking for an appointment to extend New Year greetings but Baijal did not give an appointment.

"Even the President gives time to meet me," the Speaker said and added that former Lt Governor Najeeb Jung had never declined to meet him (Goel).

Although he was not given an appointment, Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs were given time to meet the Lt Governor whenever they requested, Goel said.

Goel wrote another letter to the Governor on Wednesday in which he said that he has been observing the developments in the capital "with a sense of deep anguish".

Goel said Baijal's conduct "does not add to the dignity" of his position.

He complained that a majority of Delhi legislators also struggled to get time from the LG's office.

Goel alleged that the four BJP MLAs had "unhindered access" to the LG's office and that the opposition party holds its legislature party meetings there.

He wrote that had the LG spared time for AAP MLAs, the current crisis due to ongoing sealing drive would not have arisen.

The Aam Aadmi Party, the BJP and the Congress have opposed the sealing drive but there hasn't been any solution so far to the problem.

Goel said that public interest can only be protected if Baijal "breaks free from narrow-minded clique which at all costs wants to harass the people of Delhi".

--IANS

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