Delhi Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash was allegedly assaulted by Aam Aadmi Party legislators during a meeting at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence, sparking protests yesterday and threats of a pen-down strike in government offices in the national capital.
The ruling AAP denied the allegation but the IAS Association Secretary Manisha Saxena complained to Lt Governor Anil Baijal claiming that the attack on Monday night was a “planned criminal conspiracy” against the top bureaucrat.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting with Baijal, Saxena said they have asked the Lt Governor to take strict action against the lawmakers.
“There should be criminal action against everyone involved,” Saxena said.
Prakash alleged that he was hit by Amanatullah Khan and another party legislator, whom he can identify, in front of the chief minister.
The AAP again denied the allegation, saying the chief secretary was making false accusation at the behest of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Prakash was called for a meeting around midnight on Monday at the chief minister’s residence where Kejriwal, his deputy Manish Sisodia and 11 legislators were present, he said in a complaint to the police.
The official said the meeting was on “difficulty in release of certain TV advertisements relating to the completion of three years of the current government of Delhi”.
The chief secretary said he was taken to a room and one of the legislators closed the door. He was seated on a sofa between Khan and another MLA, whom he could identify.
“The MLAs started shouting at me and abused me while blaming me and the bureaucracy for not doing enough for the publicity of the government,” the complaint said.
Prakash said he was attacked after this without any provocation. But the AAP said that the meeting at Kejriwal’s residence was on the “faulty implementation” of Aadhaar that “deprived about 2.5 lakh families of ration”.
The Delhi Government Employees Welfare Association (DGEWA) demanded action against the MLAs who “manhandled” and “mistreated” the top bureaucrat.
DGEWA president D N Singh said the association met the Lt Governor. He said members of the group would go to offices but won’t work till action is taken against those who assaulted the bureaucrat.
The alleged assault triggered a war of words between the AAP and the opposition BJP.
BJP MLA Vijender Gupta, who is also the Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, alleged that Kejriwal “in his dictatorial style” called the chief secretary at midnight on Monday and “berated” him in front of his MLAs.
Gupta said Kejriwal was “drunk on power” and his concern was only about why more funds were not dispersed for advertisements. “Such is the state of affairs under AAP.”
“In total, nine AAP MLAs were present at the CM’s residence when the chief secretary was assaulted. They represent the people of Delhi but are nothing short of urban Naxalites. How utterly disgusting behaviour,” he said.
Delhi government spokesman Nagendar Sharma denied the allegation saying the chief secretary was making false accusations at the behest of the BJP.
Sharma said during the meeting the chief secretary refused to answer questions saying he was not answerable to MLAs or the chief minister but only to the Lt Governor.
“He even used bad language against some MLAs and left without answering any questions.
“Moreover, it is false information that the meeting and the argument was about TV ads. The entire discussion was on how large number of families were not getting ration,” Sharma said in a statement.
The BJP condemned the alleged assault on Prakash and demanded Kejriwal’s resignation.
“As far as the situation in Delhi is concerned, it is a situation of great worry. The constitutional crisis that has come to the fore today in Delhi is because of the lawlessness created by Arvind Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party,” BJP spokesman Sambit Patra said.






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