New Delhi: As the power tussle between Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the IAS officers continues, Congress President Rahul Gandhi has termed it as ‘anarchy’ and said that it is the people of Delhi who are suffering due to the tussle played out at Raj Niwas.
In a tweet, Gandhi said slammed not just Aam Aadmi Party, but also said that the Prime Minister has ‘turned blind eye to the anarchy’.
‘Delhi CM, sitting in Dharna at LG office. BJP sitting in Dharna at CM residence. Delhi bureaucrats addressing press conferences. PM turns a blind eye to the anarchy; rather nudges chaos & disorder. People of Delhi are the victims, as this drama plays out,’ Gandhi said in a tweet.
In a related development that signals some sort of truce, the IAS officers from Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNTCD) has welcomed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s appeal to have talks with the government.
“Officers of GNCTD welcome Hon’ble CM’s appeal. We reiterate that we continue to be at work with full dedication & vigour. We look forward to concrete interventions for our security & dignity. We are open to formal discussions with Honble CM on this matter,” they said in a statement issued on Monday.
On Sunday, Kejriwal had urged IAS Officers Association to stop the boycott of the elected government and return to work, assuring them of safety and security.
Meanwhile, in an embarrassment for Kejriwal, the Delhi High Court today asked the AAP government who authorised the sit-in by the Delhi Chief Minister and some of his cabinet colleagues at the lieutenant governor’s office and observed that strikes are usually held outside an establishment or office and not inside.
The observation by a bench of Justices A K Chawla and Navin Chawla came during the hearing of two petitions, one against the sit-in by Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal and the other against the alleged strike by the IAS officers of Delhi government. “Who authorised the strike/dharna (sit-in by Kejriwal)? You are sitting inside the LG’s office. If it’s a strike, it has to be outside the office,” the court told lawyers appearing for the Delhi government in the two matters. It further said, ” You can’t go inside someone’s office or house and hold a strike there”.
Apart from the two petitions, a separate plea was moved by Leader of Opposition in the Delhi assembly Vijender Gupta against the sit-in by Kejriwal at Lt Governor Anil Baijal’s office. The matters are likely to be heard on June 22.The court said the association representing the IAS officers should also be made a party in the matter.