L-G not the govt in Delhi: Kejriwal

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government on Thursday sent a file on appointment of its hand-picked Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief to Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Najeeb Jung. It said it was not an ego issue but slammed the L-G’s stand that he was the ‘government’ in Delhi and said it smacked of “dictatorship”. As the tussle over appointment of Swati Maliwal as DCW chief threatened to widen the rift further, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia met Jung and announced subsequently that the file had been sent to the L-G for clearance.

He said it was done to “stop the conspiracy to weaken the panel”.

Hours later, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal sent a terse letter to Jung in which he slammed the L-G for his assertion that ‘government’ in Delhi meant the L-G, saying his stand was not only unconstitutional but “laughable” in a democratic country like India.

The chief minister also accused Jung of forcefully seeking files from DCW office after locking it down, terming it “blackmail”. He said Jung was working at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and that he has made the DCW “completely dysfunctional”.

“The L-G says he is the government of Delhi. How can it be? How can anyone call himself the government?.... It’s but a fact that the meaning of Delhi government is an elected government and not any individual,” Kejriwal said in the letter, adding, “But why is the L-G making such laughable and unconstitutional statements. The truth is the L-G himself is not doing anything. He is being asked to do things.”

Striking down Maliwal’s appointment, Jung had in a letter to Kejriwal on Tuesday referred to a home ministry order and said “government” meant the “L-G of the National Capital Territory of Delhi” appointed by the President and that he was sole authority in deciding on major issues including appointment to top positions.

“This is not a battle of ego for us. Respected L-G, PM has won, we all have lost. We fold our hands in requesting you to kindly sign the files pertaining to DCW and make it functional. I am sending the file to you,” the chief minister said in his letter.

On Tuesday, Jung had declared Maliwal’s appointment null and void, saying it did not have legal sanctity and was in violation of constitutional provisions. Sources in L-G’s office said he will respond to Kejriwal's letter in due course keeping the provisions of Constitution.