AAP raises transfer of VAT commissioner with Rajnath

The AAP leaders met Rajnath Singh apprised him of the development that has opened a new flashpoint between Kejriwal govt and the Centre

Delhi government on Tuesday took up with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh its demand for an inquiry into the transfer of VAT Commissioner Vijay Kumar as it alleged that Lt Governor Najeeb Jung did not consult the Centre before effecting the move.

AAP leaders Ashutosh, Sanjay Singh and Dilip Pandey met the Home Minister in North Block for around 30 minutes and apprised him of the development that has opened a new flashpoint between the Arvind Kejriwal government and the Centre.

"Why was such an honest officer transferred within a week of him swooping down on a big hawala racket? Why did the LG not consult the state government or even the Centre ?" Ashutosh asked.

"We have categorically requested the Home Minister that the matter should be investigated and also made it clear that we have have serious doubts about the LG's role," he said.

Delhi government had last week hit out at the Centre over the transfer of VAT Commissioner Vijay Kumar and four other IAS officers, saying that it was running an elected government in the national capital by "dictatorship" and also hinted at "pressure from lobbies" behind the move.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had also slammed the Centre for not consulting the city government before transferring Kumar and asked whether an elected government could not even choose its VAT commissioner.

Incidentally, Sisodia yesterday wrote to Jung accusing him of "unlawfully" shooting down a government proposal to appoint IAS officer Ankur Garg as the new VAT Commissioner.

The Lt Governor had three days back turned down Delhi government's proposal to appoint Garg as the new VAT commissioner, saying he was a junior and could not hold the key post.