The Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) Vinai Kumar Saxena has hit back on Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj over his demand for removing the Principal of Baba Saheb Ambedkar Medical College where a professor allegedly sexually harassed a 22-year-old MBBS student, saying that the Principal of the college couldn’t be removed due to Bhardwaj’s inaction,
Adding fuel to fire in the tussle between the Centre appointed LG and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Saxena accused Bhardwaj for “crying foul” over the alleged sexual harassment case and demanding the removal of its Principal, claiming that “the file for his transfer has been held up for nearly 45 days by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal himself.”
He mentioned that the Minister, in a note to him on March 20, had “demanded the immediate removal of Dr Ishwar Singh from his post alleging that he was uncooperative with the girl victims in the matter and that he discouraged/demotivated them from pursuing the case further.”
However, LG claims that the file for the removal/transfer of Dr Ishwar Singh from Baba Saheb Ambedkar Medical College has been pending with CM Kejriwal since February 14. “The irony lies in the fact that although the Health Minister has made a request for the transfer of the Principal of BSA Medical College and Hospital, the file for his transfer has been held up by you, as the chairman of National Capital Civil Services Authority (NCCSA) since February 14, 2024. Despite reminders from the Member Secretary of NCCSA, the proposal is still pending for your recommendations on the matter,” LG exerted.
He also claimed that Bhardwaj has not consulted his party’s supremo Arvind Kejriwal in the matter. “Due to inaction on your part, neither important transfer/posting could be effected nor vigilance action on sensitive matters could be initiated. In view of the above, you are advised to ensure expeditious disposal of matters pending in NCCSA regarding transfer/posting as well as vigilance & non-vigilance matters for the purpose of initiation of disciplinary proceedings,” he added.
Reacting to Saxena’s statementthe AAP government said the LG office on Thursday said the file for the removal of the principal of Baba Saheb Ambedkar Medical College, where two MBBS students faced sexual harassment, is held up at CM Arvind Kejriwal's office since February 14. “While health minister Saurabh Bharadwaj had written written to the LG demanding immediate removal of the Principal, Raj Niwas officials said the exercise can be conducted only after the approval of the NCCSA chairman (read CM) and despite reminders from member secretary of the panel to expedite the same before Kejrwial was arrested by ED, the file had not moved,” the AAP government said in a statement.
The alleged incident took place on January 31 where the student levelled allegations against her professor of sexual harassment during a viva examination. An FIR under sections 354A (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered against the accused. The accused was subsequently apprehended in the matter.
