New Delhi: Instead of resorting to dharnas and obstructionist politics, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has gone into a softer mode by making appeals on public forums on the on-going tussle between the Delhi government and the Lieutenant Governor.
In its latest move, the AAP has appealed on behalf of Delhi government by writing an open letter to Delhi L-G Najeeb Jung seeking his cooperation and support, so that the promises made by the party in its manifesto could be implemented.
After coming up with the Delhi budget, the AAP feels that the Delhi government may find it difficult to implement its plans and projects, if the feud between the government and the L-G continues – whether it’s related to the issue of women’s safety or giving a free hand to Delhi’s Anti Corruption Branch (ACB) in curbing corruption in the national capital.
In an open letter addressed to the L-G, the convener of Delhi State Unit of AAP, Dilip Pandey has mentioned, “To remind you, one of the founding principles of the Aam Aadmi Party has been to espouse the cause of women’s upliftment, empowerment, safety and security: not just of their physical self but of their mental, spiritual, economic and social identity as well. This is something, which is closest to the heart of AAP... Delhi has become an unsafe city for women and the Central Government, which has control over the Delhi Police, has done nothing about it. Thus, this request by our party to accept the policy proposal of the Delhi Government was neither irrational nor untenable… When we failed to convince you how important is this women issue, we had to raise our voices in mainstream and social media. This perhaps made you think we were right at first place and then you acted by releasing Home-guards in phased manner. It is our belief that you should support pro-people policy when it comes at your doorstep for approval. You are on a Constitutional position of the Delhi government and it is imperative that you listen to the views of its citizens directly and indirectly through its political representatives.”
Dilip Pandey said, “Women’s safety is our top priority. We wanted an appointment with the L-G on this issue, but failed to get it. He didn’t even respond to the government. Then we had to call a press conference to raise our voice, and after that, the L-G issued an order to release home-guards in phased manner to be deployed as marshals in DTC buses. We’re a political party and have an elected government in Delhi. We can’t compromise on our promises. The party is the watchdog of government’s actions, and if the government fails to deliver, it’s our responsibility to bring it to the latter’s notice.”
Besides, the AAP has raised another issue in the said letter, such as the appointment of MK Meena as the head of the ACB. “Now, it seems, again the office of LG is being used as a political tool in the hands of Central Government, by unconstitutionally appointing Mr MK Meena to a position that does even exist in the charter of Anti-Corruption Branch, which isn’t just illegal but contempt of honorable court. Dear Sir! The honorable court has clarified many times in the past that the ACB doesn’t report to LG but the elected Government of NCT Delhi (GNCTD),” the letter mentioned.
Has the AAP gone soft towards the L-G?
“There had been a series of incidents that compelled me to write this open letter to the L-G. We’re not going to resort to aggressive methods, but keep appealing to the L-G through letters, press conferences and raising it on public platforms. We’ll keep on hammering, till we’re heard. We’re into politics, but the politicization of issues related to public welfare, will cause damage both to the people and the governance. In a democracy, the executive should listen to the logical demands of an elected government for smooth governance,” added Pandey.
“We don’t want any dispute with the L-G, who’s the Centre’s representative, but under compulsion, we had to move court on certain issues causing obstacles in our functioning,” a Delhi government source remarked.
Courtesy-FirstPost