Goel accuses LG principal secy of leaking letter to media

In what may spark another confrontation, Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel today accused the Lt Governor's Principal Secretary Vijay Kumar of "leaking" to the media the LG's message on the issue of withdrawing power of the Assembly's departmental committees.
The speaker warned Kumar and other officers of the LG Secretariat to be "careful" while dealing with the matters related to the Delhi Assembly.
The day-long session saw legislators discussing Baijal's September 13 message to the Assembly, seeking to withdraw the power of department-related standing committees of the House.
"I have enough material on record as well as statements that prove that the message was leaked by Vijay Kumar, Principal Secretary, Lt Governor," Goel alleged as he read out his written observation after the discussion by MLAs.

"With full responsibility and with all authority at my command, I warn Vijay Kumar and other such officers to be very careful while dealing with matters related to the Assembly," he said.
He said the LG would not be aware about the "mischievous activities" of his officers and requested him to intervene and drive in a word of caution to such officers who have "no understanding" about the powers, privileges, independence and authority of the Legislature.

He claimed he was "shocked" to learn that the contents of the message had been "leaked" to the media by the office of the LG.

"A copy of the letter was also shared by a journalist. The journalist was advised against going public with the confidential message meant exclusively for the House as it amounts to breach of privilege and contempt of the House," Goel claimed.
He alleged that he learnt that when this advice was brought to the notice of the office of the LG, a backdated letter was created so that media could quote from it.
"Unfortunately, in their hurry, the officers in Lt Governor's Secretariat had wrongly addressed the letter to the retired (Union) Home Secretary," the speaker alleged.
He also expressed concern over the LG sharing his letter copy to the chief secretary and law principal secretary

After the LG's message, the speaker had also written back to him.
"I had wondered in my letter to the LG as to what was the reason for forwarding letter copies of the message to the chief secretary, principal secretary (law). This had never been done in the past," he said.