Afresh battle seems to be brewing between the Delhi government and Lieutenant-Governor (L-G) Najeeb Jung.
A day after a senior government officer was stripped of his charge by the L-G office, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal criticised the move claiming that all honest officers are being systematically removed.
On Friday, the L-G office had removed Dr. Tarun Seem from his charge as the Director General of Delhi Health Services. Dr. Seem, who took over in October 2015, is known as the official who piloted the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government’s ‘mohalla clinic’ project.
“This is quite sad. All efficient, honest officers are being marked and removed systematically. Dirty politics,” Mr. Kejriwal tweeted on Saturday.
Earlier this year, Dr. Seem, a 1992-batch Indian Revenue Service officer, was given the charge of Health Secretary of Delhi government but was later removed as he was occupying an IAS post. His removal from the position back then had also led to Mr. Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia criticising Mr. Jung’s move.
As per an order issued by the Health Department, Beena Khurana, CMO (SAG), will look after the charge of DGHS till a regular incumbent is posted.
Dr. Seem has been reportedly removed from his ‘temporary’ charge after he allegedly delayed the printing of information and educational material for creating awareness about malaria, dengue and chikungunya at a time when the city is reeling under an outbreak of vector-borne diseases.
Dr. Seem, however has denied the allegations levelled against him and news agency PTI has quoted him saying his ‘record has been without a fault’. At present, Dr. Seem is in charge of the Delhi State Health Mission.
All efficient, honest officers are being marked and removed systematically. This is ‘dirty politics’
