Harassment complaints by officials are bogus, says Delhi govt

The Delhi government on Sunday issued a statement accusing Lt. Governor V K Saxena of indulging in “dirty politics”, while asserting that the complaints filed by some officers alleging harassment by the AAP government are “absolutely fake”.

Officials in the LG Office had on Saturday claimed that eight officers posted in the Delhi government and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) have alleged “blatant harassment” by the Delhi government led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

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The officials said that two complaints were received earlier this year and six were received after May 11, the day the Supreme Court of India ruled in favour of the Delhi government in its battle against the LG.

In its statement, the Delhi government said, “They are absolutely fake complaints. The LG is indulging in dirty politics to divert attention from the public uproar against the Central government’s direct attack on the judiciary by reversing a Supreme Court constitution bench order through an ordinance.”

The apex court had in its ruling of 11 May extended the definition of state in the General Clauses Act of 1897 to the Union Territory of Delhi, thus allowing the Delhi government control over the administrative services, except police, land and public order. Apart from seeking to circumvent the SC order, the Central government has on Saturday filed a review petition in the apex court challenging the order.

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According to the LG Office officials, among the complainants, who have alleged harassment by the AAP government, are five IAS officers. These are Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar, former Services Secretary Ashish More, Special Secretaries Kinny Singh and Y V V J Rajasekhar and Power Secretary Shurbir Singh. Anti-Corruption Branch head Madhur Verma, Chief Assessor and Collector in MCD’s House Tax Department Kunal Kashyap and Services Department Deputy Secretary Amitabh Joshi have also filed complainants.

There has been a growing discord between the bureaucrats and the AAP government in Delhi since the May 11 Supreme Court order. Hours after the apex court order, Ashish More was removed. Delhi Services Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj had also alleged on Friday that Chief Secretary Kumar had issued a death threat to him on May 16. Kumar, however, claimed in a letter to the LG that the allegations were an after-thought to save himself following his alleged misconduct with the officers of the Services Department.

With the Centre always breathing down CM Kejriwal’s neck, the battle is far from over.

(With agency inputs)