‘Lack of seriousness’: Delhi LG slams ministers for not attending meeting. AAP responds

Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Monday slammed city ministers over their refusal to attend meetings convened to discuss the functioning of their ministries, following the arrest of chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. In a letter addressed to the union home ministry, the governor said that the minister's refusal shows “insensitivity and lack of seriousness”.

According to the letter, the governor had scheduled a meeting with key ministers dealing with the departments of water, education, health, transport, environment, and forest so that the routine works of governance are not hampered in the backdrop of Kejriwal's arrest. However, the ministers declined his invite on the “specious ground” that the model code of conduct was in force.

“Upon the arrest of Shri Arvind Kejriwal, Hon'ble Chief Minister of Delhi, and subsequent events, especially those related to public health infrastructure in the city, the impeding Summer Action Plan for water availability, etc playing out in the public domain, Lt Governor had decided to convene a meeting of key ministers…An intimation was sent to Gopal Rai, Kailash Gahlot, Atishi, and Saurabh Bharadwaj for a meeting on April 2,” the letter read.

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It added, “However, all the ministers have vide e-mails declined to attend the said meeting on the specious ground that since the model code of conduct is in force, such a meeting would not be appropriate at this stage…Hon'ble Lt Governor believes that a consultation of this nature was warranted so that routine works of governance are not hampered in the backdrop of arrest and detention of the chief minister.”

According to LG Saxena, the “rationale adduced for not attending the meeting appears vague and exhibits lack of seriousness and insensitivity to matters affecting the day-to-day lives of the citizens of Delhi”.

AAP hits back at the Delhi LG

Meanwhile, Delhi minister and AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj hit back at the Delhi LG saying he needs to “understand the Constitution”.

“Water, health, environment, and forest are all transferred subjects of the elected government...When we tell him our problems, he says that they are transferred subjects but now he is calling a meeting of the ministers...If the LG is interested in running the government then he can fight the elections and defeat Delhi CM Kejriwal,” he said.

The AAP vs BJP battle in the national capital intensified after Kejriwal's arrest on March 21 in connection with the Delhi excise policy case. He was the first sitting minister to be arrested and has been lodged in the Tihar jail till April 15.

(With inputs from agencies)