The bureaucrats, handpicked by lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, are neither attending meetings nor listening to their Ministers, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Wednesday alleged, while putting the onus of waterlogging and traffic gridlock across the city on them. Sisodia, along with Delhi Home Minister Satyender Jain also targeted the Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the "shunting" of top bureaucrats and setting up of the l-G-constituted panel to examine files, alleging that it was formed at the behest of the PM.
Sisodia's attack on Jung came on a day when rain pounded the national Capital crumbling the city's civic infrastructure. The municipal bodies in Delhi are BJP-ruled, while police come under the Centre, he said. Venting his fury, Sisodia said that since the appointment of the panel, the Delhi Government has had to focus on "appeasing l-G's officers" and not the welfare of its residents. Jung has deployed officials "starting from peons to the Chief Secretary" to scrutinise the files of the last one-and-a-half-years and due to that "three of my meetings had to be cancelled", Sisodia said.
"Why is the l-G, who gave over 50 interviews on his officers, not speaking on waterlogging and traffic jam in the cityIJ Your officers are neither coming to the meetings called by Ministers, nor listening to them. Few even say that they have been barred to do so. "I request the l-G to go out like the Ministers, taking along officers appointed by him, and solve the waterlogging and traffic woes of the residents," Sisodia said in a series of tweets, promptly shared by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Sisodia also lashed out at the BJP-led Centre over the "transfer" of "committed officials", who he said worked tirelessly to implement pro-people policies. The officials, including the PWD and Health Secretaries, were transferred despite Sisodia's public request to Jung not do so as they were involved in the execution of AAP's flagship projects like mohalla clinics and construction of 8,000 new classrooms.
"Committed officials who worked tirelessly to implement pro-people policies have been shunted... the l-G should make officers of his choice work as well. The Constitution has a chapter on duties apart from rights," Sisodia said.
Jain also said that the l-G has a "primary responsibility" to focus on law and order situation in the national Capital instead of creating hurdles in functioning of the Kejriwal Government.
"The names which are in the committee (to examine Government's 400 files) cannot be called even by l-G. Prime Minister has formed this committee. Modi should allow the Delhi Government to work," Delhi Home Minister said.
The Minister also sought to know detail of works done by the l-G when Delhi was under President's rule.