Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken on Wednesday alleged that removal of nine advisers to Delhi Ministers was delayed as the AAP and BJP were hand-in-glove in trying to dent his party's prospects in the lok Sabha polls next year.
Maken said that the AAP wants to gain the sympathy among voters as some of those removed are reportedly being considered for the 2019 lok Sabha elections. He also raised question on the intention of the Central Government for delaying the decision for long. “The Shunglu Committee Report was submitted to the lieutenant Governor on November 28, 2016, why did it take so long for the Union Home Ministry to act on itIJ” he asked.
He further said that it was surprising that the media adviser to the Chief Minister has not been removed while that of the Deputy Chief Minister is removed.
The appointment of nine advisers to the Delhi government was cancelled on Tuesday on the advice of the Union Home Ministry as the Shunglu Committee, in its report had pointed out grave irregularities in the appointments
Maken said not only their appointments were illegal but also many were given salaries and reimbursements from tax payer's money up to Rs1.30 lakh per month.
He also pointed out that Health Minister Satyender Jain's daughter Soumya Jain was appointed an adviser to Mission Director, (Delhi State Health Mission) though she is an architect by profession.
The General Administration Department (GAD) of the Delhi Government through an order on Tuesday cancelled the appointment. The BJP has become “paranoid” because of the rising graph of Congress president Rahul Gandhi and wants to harm the party, he claimed.
“The AAP (in Delhi) and the BJP government at the Centre are hand-in-glove to harm the Congress in a bid to create a dent in the Congress' vote share in the 2019 lok Sabha elections,” claimed Maken.
Citing the Shunglu Committee report, Maken claimed that 71 appointments made by the AAP Government were flagged for irregularities but no action was taken against a driver and a stenographer.