The verbal duel between Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung has escalated further with the party (AAP) suggesting the latter is a threat to democracy.
Reacting a day after the l-G reportedly told a TV channel that he is considering a proposal to do away with the Delhi Assembly, the AAP on Tuesday challenged the l-G to dissolve the Delhi Government and said he was being used by the Centre as a “testing” ground for possibly imposing Emergency in the country.
“We believe, whatever Jung is saying is basically the retaliation of the Centre against our party. We want to clearly say any Constitutional set up cannot be broken down by the mere wish of the Governor. It is decided by Parliament. We dare him get it passed in Parliament and dissolve Delhi Assembly,” senior AAP leader, Kumar Vishwas said in a Press conference organised at the party headquarters.
Earlier, triggering a fresh controversy, Jung said he was not averse to mulling over scrapping the Delhi Assembly if such a proposal was brought before him, evoking a strong reaction from AAP.
Jung, who has openly attacked the AAP Government after last week’s Delhi High Court order ruling that the l-G was the city’s administrative head, also said an apology was due from Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for him “calling names”. When asked about Kejriwal’s usage of strong words to attack Modi in the past, Jung told News-X TV channel that in a democracy one can criticise the Prime Minister’s policies “but you cannot call names”.
When asked during an interview whether he is open to the idea of doing away with the Delhi Assembly, Jung said, “As a thinking human being, as a citizen of Delhi, why would I be not open to giving thought to anything that involves Delhi. Of course, I am not unwilling to think of anything. We are all human beings and all kinds of thoughts come to us. So, if somebody were to ask me in writing that will you give an opinion, then of course, I would think about it. I am not a robot that I don’t think.”
Responding to Jung over remarks that Kejriwal should apologise to Modi, Vishwas said both Delhi CM and Modi were political figures and spoke a political language.
“Both speak to each other in a political language and it is a political matter. Modi can call people in Oppositions names like Naxals, Jungli, 50-crore girl friend and in return Kejriwal can call him back a psychopath. We can agree or disagree on it but it is clear that Jung has replaced former police commissioner BS Bassi, thus he is speaking for Modi,” Vishwas added.
While talking to The Pioneer, AAP spokesperson Dilip Pandey said the AAP is confident of its work in Delhi and the l-G’s scrutiny did not “bother” the party.
Earlier, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain accused Jung of “speaking the language of the “Viceroy and Churchill” by suggesting that the Delhi Assembly can be scrapped. Also, Jain opposed Jung’s reported order to senior officials in the Delhi Government to send to him files that needed his signature.
“Jung has never fought any election, yet he has reached the top. It is but natural he will say this. The (British) Viceroy also used to say that India cannot be given complete Independence,” Jain said.
“Winston Churchill used to say Indians cannot govern themselves. The l-G is speaking the language of the Viceroy and Churchill.” Referring to Jung’s order to senior officials in Delhi asking them to send files directly to him, Jain said this was “unconstitutional”.