Calling it a disrespect to Baba Saheb Ambedkar, Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena on Monday hit out at former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s remark describing Atishi as “temporary CM”.
He also objected to “baseless statements” made by the AAP convenor in CM Atishi’s presence to project her in bad light or as a clueless head of government.
Showering praise on CM Atishi for shouldering the responsibility of CMO unlike Kejriwal "who never signed a file", L-G Saxena wrote in a letter in Hindi to her and said, "I found it very objectionable and hurt when your predecessor Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal publicly declared you as a temporary caretaker Chief Minister in the media". This was not only an insult to you but also to the President of India and to me as her representative," he said.
"The public definition of temporary or caretaker Chief Minister given by Kejriwal has no constitutional provision and it is also a reprehensible disregard of the democratic spirit and values enshrined in the Constitution drafted by Baba Saheb Ambedkar," he said.
In fact, the LG's letter to CM Atishi ahead of Assembly elections, which are due in February next year, looks to highlight the perceived cracks within the ruling AAP whose convenor Kejriwal has shown little respect for his own colleagues.
In his letter, the LG also sympathized with CM Atishi for the confusion and embarrassment caused to her after two departments of the Delhi Government issued public notices in the Press warning people to be cautious about registrations being done by the former Chief Minister for non-existent schemes – Mahila Samman Yojana and Sanjeevani health scheme for the elderly.
This is an unprecedented development and must have been unsettling for you," he wrote.
LG Saxena also observed that the way Kejriwal was making unauthorized announcements of the schemes for senior citizens and women in the name of the Chief Minister had brought a bad name to the dignity of the post of the Chief Minister and the Council of Ministers.
He also referred to Kejriwal's claim that the Transport Department and other investigation agencies had filed a probe against CM Atishi with the intention of sending her to jail. "Such baseless statements by Kejriwal indicate that you were unaware of the activities of the departments working under you," wrote the Delhi L-G.
Though the L-G has appreciated CM Atishi at several places, on Independence Day, he had denied her permission to hoist the national flag at an official event notwithstanding her name being recommended for the post by jailed CM Kejriwal. She took oath as Kejriwal's successor in September.
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