The tussle between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the newly-appointed Lieutenant-Governor, Vinai Kumar Saxena, intensified on Monday after a delegation of nine AAP MLAs called on the L-G.
After meeting Mr. Saxena, the MLAs, including Somnath Bharti, former Delhi Minister, alleged that the L-G told them that not just the Delhi Development Authority and the Delhi police, but the “whole of Delhi is under his control”. Mr. Bharti said that L-G made this statement when the AAP MLAs raised several issues before him including some pertaining to law and order.
When contacted the L-G’s office did not offer any comment.
Growing rift
Over the past few days, AAP leaders have on several occasions accused Mr. Saxena of overstretching his Constitutional powers and encroaching upon those of the government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi, while the L-G’s office has refused to be drawn into a public spat with the elected government citing norms of office.
Speaking about his meeting with the L-G, Mr. Bharti said, “The L-G is refusing to fall in line and has expressed his desire to continue infringing upon the Delhi government’s powers. The L-G is crossing constitutional boundaries by claiming that not just DDA and Delhi Police, but the whole of Delhi is under his control.”
Praveen Kumar, another AAP MLA, who was part of the delegation, said Mr. Saxena told them that he knew his powers in Delhi and did not need the MLAs to remind him of his powers.
When Mr. Saxena was appointed last month, the AAP Chief Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, “On behalf of the people of Delhi, I extend a warm welcome to the newly appointed Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Mr. Vinai Kumar Saxena. For the betterment of Delhi, he will get full cooperation from the Cabinet of Delhi Government.”
However, the period of calm was short-lived. On June 1, AAP took the first potshot at the L-G and accused him of attacking “Delhi’s constitutional sanctity” and appealed to him to not disrupt Delhi’s constitutional framework.
AAP’s attack was triggered by a meeting that the L-G had called of the officials of the Delhi Jal Board.
On Sunday the party questioned Mr. Saxena’s “silence” on “the deteriorating law and order situation in the Capital”.
Mr. Bharti said, “We reiterated that the departments which come directly under the L-G’s purview are plagued with endless problems. However, it is with a heavy heart that I say this, on behalf of all my colleagues, that the L-G Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena claimed that he has the authority over the entire Capital.”
BJP’s response
Reacting to AAP MLAs’ statements, the Delhi BJP spokesperson, Praveen Shankar Kapoor, said it was time for AAP to stop spreading “lies” that Mr. Saxena could only take up matters of services, land and order.
"Even in most matters where the Delhi government can take decisions, in them too constitutionally, it is mandatory for the government to take prior approval or ultimate consent of the L-G. Moreover, in public welfare matters and in cases where complaints of corruption or of non-performance are concerned, the L-G is fully empowered to attend and inspect,” Mr. Kapoor said.
Published - June 06, 2022 11:45 pm IST
