Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Wednesday lambasted the resolution adopted by the IAS and DANICS officers’ associations and asked whether they are a political body as the language of their resolution smacked of political overtones. Upset over the manner in which IAS and DANICS officers’ association adopted a resolution advising political executive (read AAP Government) to maintain decorum while dealing with Delhi Government officials, Sisodia said it was high time that the bureaucracy came out of “laatshahi mentality”.
He said the officers who do not want to work can get themselves transferred from Delhi. The Deputy Chief Minister also declared that henceforth the Government will work on all seven days and there will no Saturday and Sunday off and officials would have to toe the line of the Government.
“Is it an IAS association or a political bodyIJ If the Government takes action against any officer, they go on strike. They went on strike on the first day of Odd-Even scheme,” Sisodia questioned. Sisodia alleged that officers’ association has never come up for praising the Government’s good works.
Earlier on Wednesday afternoon, a delegation of IAS and DANICS officers met the Deputy Chief Minister and submitted the resolution adopted by their associations. During the meeting, Sisodia pointed out that bureaucracy has deliberately delayed the procurement of new buses, repair and maintenance of roads, promotion to wrestler Sakshi Malik’s father in DTC, on corruption issues and regularisation of unauthorised colonies.
later addressing a Press conference, Sisodia also warned the bureaucrats of “strict action” if they refused to work for the public. The remarks came a day after the Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory (AGMUT) Cadre IAS Association, and Delhi and Andaman & Nicobar Islands Civil Service (DANICS) Association jointly passed a resolution against “injustices” meted out by the political executive of the Delhi Government.
Sisodia also raised the issue of Health Secretary Chandrakar Bharti allegedly refusing to visit lNJP hospital with Health Minister Satyendar Jain two days ago after a patient died due to lack of ventilator. He said the officer refused to go with the Minister, saying he doesn’t have car. “Such excuses will not be tolerated. People have given this Government a mandate to work. Officers are bound to work for people as per their service rules and they get salary from peoples’ money. We will not remain silent if officers refuse people’s work. We will take action. If lG spares these erring officers, we will then expose lG,” the Deputy CM said.
He further said, “We are not asking officers to do personal works of ours and MlAs. We have directed all officers if any MlA and Minister asked them to do their personal work, the Chief Minister and I will stand as a shield in front of them. We are just asking officers to do people’s work,” Sisodia said. Training his guns on lt Governor Najeeb Jung also, Sisodia said the Government will not hesitate to “expose” him if he “spares” those officers who have been “deliberately stalling” work of the Government.
Giving examples, Sisodia said a number of key projects including increasing number of beds in Government hospitals from 10,000 to 20,000, setting up Mohalla Clinics and Aam Aadmi Canteen, laying of several important roads and development works in unauthorised colonies could not be started as files relating to them have not been cleared by officers for months.
He also said the file pertaining to promotion of father of Olympic medal winner wrestler Sakshi Malik was also pending for three months. “Why the IAS Association did not summon officers and pass resolution against them for sitting on the files for months. These officers are stalling Government work. We will not hesitate to take punitive action against the erring officers. The IAS Association has just passed a political resolution and the organisation is politicising the issue,” Sisodia alleged.
“The file pertaining to promotion of father of wrestler Sakshi Malik who brought honour and pride to the country, is also pending for three months. Why the IAS association does not talk about the officer who is sitting on the file,” he said. Malik’s father works as a conductor and the Delhi Government had promised him an out of turn promotion.
Sisodia said although there is no complaint of graft at the levels of Ministers and Secretaries, people apprised him about junior level officers in departments such as transport and revenue indulging in wrongdoings. “Representatives of IAS officers’ association met me. I told them if the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) was with us, half of your officers would have been in jail,” he said.