Finally, Sisodia to hold Facebook live on GST on Friday evening

The deputy CM had requested the director of the information and publicity department to organise the Live but he denied citing technical reasons after which Manish Sisodia directed action against him

Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia will address city traders and consumers on the goods and services tax (GST) through Facebook live on the Delhi government’s page on Friday.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had requested the director of the information and publicity department to organise the Live but he denied citing technical reasons after which Manish Sisodia directed action against him (Burhaan Kinu/HT PHOTO)

The decision comes three days after the deputy chief minister directed the chief secretary to take action against the director of the information and publicity department (DIP), Jayadev Sarangi, for having ‘refused’ to conduct a similar session earlier this month on ‘technical’ grounds.

“With a bid to address the GST concerns of all the traders of Delhi, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia will address them live using the Facebook platform tomorrow evening from 6 to 7 pm. It will be an hour-long session in which he will also take questions from the traders and consumers alike. This initiative is primarily aimed at about three lakh traders’ fraternity of Delhi,” a statement from the DIP said.

Directing action, Sisodia wrote to chief secretary MM Kutty on Monday asking him to initiate proceedings against Sarangi for ‘dereliction of duty’, and replace him with an ‘officer who can perform’.

The development came days after the DIP denied the request of the deputy CM, to organise a Facebook Live to discuss the fallout of GST with the traders, claiming that an “open tender” was required to hold.

Stating that it “lacked technical competence and specialisation” for such a “social media campaign”, the DIP had said that it had no “other option” but to deny the request.

The DIP statement on Friday said the response had been tremendous and people from all over the state have been calling in to get details about the Facebook Live on GST.

The questions for can be posted at facebooklive.gst@gmail.com before the event and at the Facebook page www.facebook.com/DelhiGovernment during the FB live, an official said.