Kejriwal govt forms panel to ‘protect’ officials from L-G

The Delhi government alleged on Friday the lieutenant governor was “threatening” officers who didn’t obstruct the city administration and set up a special group-of-ministers to shield bureaucrats from what the Aam Aadmi Party regime called “political victimisation” by Najeeb Jung.

The Delhi government alleged on Friday the lieutenant governor was “threatening” officers who didn’t obstruct the city administration and set up a special group-of-ministers to shield bureaucrats from what the Aam Aadmi Party regime called “political victimisation” by Najeeb Jung.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal (Sushil Kumar/HT Photo)

The AAP cabinet passed a resolution against the L-G, the latest episode in a prolonged tussle between Jung and chief minister Arvind Kejriwal over control of the Capital.

“Officers were told to paralyse the elected AAP government by making adverse and obstructionist file notings against its decisions and the intimidating and coercive tactics by the L-G have intensified over the last month,” said the resolution.

The GoM -- chaired by the deputy CM Manish Sisodia and comprising home minister Satyendar Jain and transport minister Gopal Rai – will be empowered to take cases even without a formal complaint.

“If the GoM prima-facie finds a case of political victimisation on accord of a bonafide decision/action by an officer, it is authorised to take steps to protect the officer, including legal support at government cost,” the resolution read.

But the L-G office refused comment, instead choosing to remind the city government about the alleged “poor treatment” of senior officers by the AAP regime.

“In view of several episodes of poor treatment by the elected government to the chief secretary, the principal secretaries – home, power, GAD, services, commissioner (transport), principal secretary (law) and others, the L-G’s secretariat does not wish to comment on this issue,” a statement read.

Bureaucrats have been at the centre of the pitched battle for Delhi’s reins since the AAP took power in February. The two sides clashed earlier this year over a series of bureaucratic appointments with the L-G overruling several AAP picks and installing officers of his choice. The dispute stems from Delhi’s position as the national capital as several important departments and agencies are under Jung.