Sisodia seeks time to meet LG over suspension of yoga campaign

On Tuesday, Sisodia had sought an explanation from the secretary of the directorate of training and technical education (TTE) for an alleged bid to “discontinue” the AAP dispensation’s flagship yoga programme

A day after he accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of pressuring government officials to suspend the Dilli Ki Yogshala programme, Delhi deputy chief minister sought time from lieutenant governor Vinai Kumar Saxena over the issue.

Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia on Thursday tweeted that he will meet LG Vinai Kumar Saxena regarding closure of Yoga classes run by the Delhi government. (ANI file)

Sisodia had earlier said that the file for the continuation of the programme, which aims to promote meditation and make yoga instructors available to the people free of cost, has been approved by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and has been forwarded to Saxena for the final nod.

On Thursday, Sisodia tweeted, “I will meet LG Sahib tomorrow regarding the closure of Yoga classes by him in Delhi. Its file is with LG Sahib. Yoga classes in Delhi will be closed from Tuesday (next week) if immediate action is not taken. Thousands of people will suffer.”

Kejriwal too accused the BJP of pressuring Delhi officials. “I want to assure the people of Delhi that no matter what happens, I will not let Dilli Ki Yogshala be stopped by these people... These people have arbitrarily shut the programme from November 1 by putting all kinds of pressure on officers including threats of suspending them,” he claimed.

The LG’s office did not officially comment on the matter. However, an official, on condition of anonymity, said the file regarding the project reached the LG’s office on Thursday morning and such demands on short notice should not be made on social media sites. “This is akin to putting a gun against our head and asking the file to be approved,” the official said.

On Tuesday, Sisodia had sought an explanation from the secretary of the directorate of training and technical education (TTE) for an alleged bid to “discontinue” the AAP dispensation’s flagship yoga programme. Sisodia had claimed he was informed that in a September 30 meeting of the board of governors of the Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University (DPSRU), which runs the programme, it was decided to discontinue the same on the “insistence” of TTE secretary R Alice Vaz.

Bureaucrats working with the Delhi government report to the Centre-appointed lieutenant governor as services come under the preview of the LG, not the elected government.