Arvind Kejriwal’s jibe at LG: He’s not my headmaster, people elected me

A day after leading a march to LG VK Saxena’s office from Delhi Vidhan Sabha to protest against his alleged interference in the functioning of the AAP government, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said the LG was “not (his) headmaster.”

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief also used the Hindi proverb “begaani shaadi mein Abdullah deewana” (a stranger who takes too much interest in the affairs of others) to hit out at Saxena.

Addressing the Delhi assembly regarding the LG’s alleged interference in his government’s work, Kejriwal said, “Not even my teachers checked my homework as the LG scrutinises my files. The LG is not my headmaster. People have elected me as chief minister.”

“Feudal mindset”

Kejriwal, after meeting Saxena last Friday, alleged that the LG had called the 2018 Supreme Court judgment “a mere opinion” after he told him that it said the LG has no independent decision-making authority.

Reiterating those allegations, Kejriwal further claimed the LG told him during the meeting that the BJP won 104 seats in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) polls because of him and that the saffron party would win all the seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi in the next general elections.

Kejriwal said the LG has twice objected to his government’s proposal of sending teachers to Finland, saying that teachers can be trained in India. The chief minister alleged that the LG “suffers from a feudal mindset and doesn’t want the poor children in Delhi to get good education.”

“I was a good student… My school teachers did not check my homework the way the LG is checking — this spelling is wrong or the handwriting is not good. He is not my headmaster. Who is LG, where has he come from? He is sitting on our heads. Begaani shaadi mein Abdullah deewana,” Kejriwal lashed out.

“LG like British viceroys”

The chief minister said he has the mandate of two crore people of Delhi. “I told him during the meeting: ‘I have been chosen by the people of Delhi. I asked him, who has chosen you? He said I have been appointed by the President,’” he said.

Kejriwal compared the LG to the viceroys appointed during the British rule. “The viceroy used to say: ‘You bloody Indians don’t know how to govern.’ Today, LG is saying: ‘You Dilliwallas don’t know how to govern,’” he added.

Continuing the attack, Kejriwal questioned the LG whether he will decide where we should send our children to study. “Our country is lagging because of such people with a feudal mindset,” he claimed.

“We respect people’s mandate”

The chief minister also turned a bit philosophical. “Nothing is permanent in life. We may be in power at the Centre tomorrow, with our LG. Our government will not harass people. We will respect the mandate of the people,” Kejriwal said.

He said the LG does not have the power to make decisions on his own. “The Supreme Court has clearly said he cannot take a call on issues barring the police, land, and public order.” Kejriwal added.

He also showed a list of “children of BJP MPs, MLAs, and ministers who have studied abroad” and said everyone should have access to the best education.

(With agency inputs)