Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel has jumped into the fray to attack lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal over IAS officers' "strike". Goel lent his support to the demands of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Ministers sitting on dharna at the l-G office since Monday evening.
In his letter to Baijal, which was delivered on Tuesday, Goel said that the work of Delhi's development has been affected for the last few months, which was a "well-planned conspiracy" and asked him to get "undeclared strike" by officers called off.
The Speaker said that when IAS officers were asked in the meetings of assembly committees as to why they were not attending Ministers' meetings, they said, "We (officers) are not going to these meetings as it is the decision of IAS officers."
"Is it not strikeIJ Don't you (l-G) think it is an attack on the interest of Delhi's peopleIJ Don't you think it is an insult of peopleIJ The only reason behind all these things is the strike of IAS officers...
"Being a supreme administrator, you should get the undeclared strike called off while fulfilling your constitutional responsibilities so that people can breathe a sigh of relief," Geol said in the letter written in Hindi.
Goel told the l-G that if he did not take steps, it would not be appropriate for him. The IAS officers' association has maintained that "no officer is on strike and no work has been affected".
During the Budget Session in March, Goel had hit out at Baijal after he communicated to him that he could not admit questions on reserved subjects including law and order, services and land.
As a mark of their protest against the l-G's move, Goel, Sisodia, cabinet Ministers and all AAP legislators wore black bands during the House proceedings then.
The AAP government's demands to the l-G include direction to IAS officers to end their "strike", action against those who have struck work for "four months".
It has also asked the l-G to approve the proposal for doorstep delivery of rations.