In yet another attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia on Thursday accused the Prime Minister of “shooting from the shoulders of lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung and officers.”
They alleged that both the PMO and the l-G were instrumental in prompting the DANICS and IAS officers to go on mass leave primarily to scuttle the Delhi Government’s ambitious odd-even formula scheduled to be launched on January 1 to curb rising air pollution in Delhi.
Directing a fierce attack on bureaucrats, Kejriwal said, “DANICS and IAS associations have become full fledged B teams of BJP”. Accusing Jung of being a Modi aide, Kejriwal tweeted, “l-G personally attended DANICS assn meeting on Wednesday thro speaker ph. l-G in turn was in touch wid Nripendra Misra in PMO”.
Also, the CM said the PM was using the civil servants to ‘settle personal scores’ against the Delhi Government. “People will be v happy if these officers go on long leave. Govt ready to give paid leave. Governance will become honest, smooth n efficient. Time has come to replace bureaucrats wid professionals and sector experts. Governance will become honest, smooth n efficient,” Kejriwal tweet.
A defiant Kejriwal sent out a stern warning to agitating officers saying the Government was exploring “all options” against those who had proceeded on leave. Taking the fight between the Delhi Government and bureaucrats to another level, the CM mentioned that the time has come to replace bureaucrats with professionals and sector experts. “Infuse fresh energy n ideas in governance,” he tweeted.
Backing the CM, Sisodia also started a frontal attack over l-G and IAS, DANICS associations. He questioned the decision of the associations to contact the lG and not the CM or Dy CM. “Why the PMO & the l-G have never acted on other issues they have been raising since longIJ And never, these officers went on strike like thisIJ Why the PMO and the l-G are too keen to protect those who are either corrupt or do not workIJ This Government is ready to work with handful of honest and dedicated officers. Corrupt and careless will have to leave or face action. Why we need so many IAS & DANICS officers in Government when there is so much fresh dedicated professional talent available in Delhi,” Sisodia tweeted.
Earlier, a large number of bureaucrats of the Delhi Government went on mass leave on Thursday in protest against the suspension of two DANCS officers, an action declared null and void by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), setting the stage for a major confrontation between the two sides.
A day after two senior civil service officers of the Home Department were suspended by the AAP Government for refusing to sign on a Cabinet decision file, around 200 DANICS officers went on mass leave while 80 IAS officers have gone on half-day leave, showing solidarity with the suspended officers.
Taking a serious note, the CM on Thursday afternoon convened an emergency Cabinet meeting and expressed annoyance over the manner babus went on mass casual leave. Following the directions of the CM, the Services Department has asked all HoDs and Principal Secretaries to furnish details of officials who went on casual leave.
Reacting to the protest, Delhi Home Minister Satyendra Jain said DANICS and IAS officers do not have the right to go on strike as it is against their service rule.
“People will be happy if they go on strike. All system pertaining to governance is based online today and government will not suffer.”
The Delhi Home Minister said the Delhi Government was ready to grant all officers even one month or 15-day leave if they apply for the same.
“If they had any problem with my order, they should have approached the CM not the l-G who has already asked officers to defy the Government’s decision. I know that by the evening, the l-G will declare the suspension of two officers by Delhi Government as null and void,” said Jain, adding that the Government will not tolerate “disobedience”. Jain also alleged that BJP is provoking the Delhi Government officers to go on strike.
The DANICS Officers’ Association comprises around 200 members who hold crucial posts including that of SDM, Secretary to Minister and Special Secretary.