Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said Prime Minister Narendra has appointed Lieutenant-Governors for New Delhi and Puducherry with the specific purpose to interfere in the functioning of elected governments.
“If Anil Baijal and Kiran Bedi [Lt-Governors of New Delhi and Puducherry, respectively] stop interfering in the day-to-day affairs of the elected governments in both the UTs, they will be removed immediately,” he said. Mr. Kejriwal was speaking to the media after calling on Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy and his Cabinet colleagues who are staging a dharna in front of Raj Niwas to protest against the “dictatorial” style of functioning of Ms Bedi.
Ever since Independence, people of both the Union Territories are denied the rights which people of States enjoy. Obtaining statehood would be the “only solution to the discrepancy”, he added. Asked whether there will be more synergy in the Lok Sabha polls as he had expressed solidarity with a Congress Chief Minister, he said, “I have not come here as Aam Aadmi Party leader but as Chief Minister of Delhi. I also face similar problems with the L-G in the national capital,” he said.
Mr. Kejriwal said Ms. Bedi’s style of functioning is “shocking, and against will of the people”. Mr Narayanasamy is an elected Chief Minister and represents the will of people. The Chief Minister was accountable to the people, he said.
“Who is Bedi accountable to? She is not accountable to anyone, except informally to Mr. Modi,” the Delhi CM said. Mr. Kejriwal, who had worked closely with Ms. Bedi during the Anna Hazare movement, said it was ironical that a person who had faced a humiliating defeat (apparently referring to Ms Bedi’s loss in the Delhi Assembly elections), was overruling an elected Chief Minister.
Asked whether he has got any advice for his former colleague, Mr. Kejriwal said the Anna Hazare movement stood against corruption and to establish democracy. “She should not destroy the Constitution and democracy. The L-G’s chair is a small chair. It will come and go,” he said.
