The Centre-State stand-off over the appointment of an Acting Chief Secretary for Delhi was on Sunday seized upon by the National Democratic Alliance government’s political detractors as another case of doublespeak by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, this time on “cooperative federalism” which he flagged even during his visit to China.
Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju accused the Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi of indulging in character assassination of the Acting Chief Secretary, Shakuntala D. Gamlin, adding that this was an “insult” to the people of the Northeast. Defending her appointment, he said Lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung had acted as per rules, and it was the AAP government which was trying to violate rules and disobey the Constitution by questioning his authority.
In the war of words, the AAP government drew support from several parties, including the Congress. “As per … Transaction of Business Rules, appointment of CS must be through Chief Ministers,” Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Ajay Maken tweeted, pointing out that this was the case for the past 15 years, including during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee regime.
Minister’s claim counteredOn the Minister’s claim that the AAP government was insulting the people from the Northeast, Congress spokesman Tom Vadakkan sought to remind the Minister of how the Modi government had slighted the people of the region by excluding Mr. Rijiju from all engagements during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s India visit in deference to Beijing’s sensitivities vis-à-vis Arunachal Pradesh.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) saw the standoff as another “affront” to the Centre-State relations. “Any encroachment on the rights of an elected government is not correct,” CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury told the media, adding that contrary to Mr. Modi’s repeated statements promoting “cooperative federalism,” the rights of the States are being continuously eroded. “Clearly, the Modi government is moving towards a unitary form of government that is completely violative of the federal structure in our Constitutional scheme of things,’’ a party Polit Bureau statement said.
Kejriwal on right trackThe Janata Dal (United) also threw in its lot with the AAP on the issue. Rajya Sabha member K.C. Tyagi said Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was on the right track. “Not only as Chief Minister but as Prime Minister also, Mr. Modi talks about federalism but is not matching words with action,” he said billing the government’s bid to pit the Rajya Sabha against the Lok Sabha as part of this multi-pronged assault on the federal structure.
