War of words broke out in Delhi with BJP and AAP slamming each other over the issue of suspension of two bureaucrats even as about 200 bureaucrats revolted against the suspension by going on mass leave on Thursday.
The BJP on Thursday came down heavily on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal terming him the “B team of Sonia Congress”.
Reacting to Kejriwal’s comments terming IAS officers as B team of BJP, Delhi BJP president Satish Upadhyay said: “It’s really strange to see Kejriwal, who is himself the B team of Sonia Congress, calling names on IAS association.”
Kejriwal had earlier said that the DANICS (Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Civil Services) and Indian Administration Service Officers Association have become “full fledged B teams of the BJP”.
Kejriwal was referring specifically to two DANICS officers – Subhash Chandra and Yashpal Garg – who were suspended after they allegedly refused to sign Delhi government cabinet notes pertaining to a salary hike for public prosecutors and prison staff. About 200 bureaucrats of the Delhi government went on a day’s en mass leave on Thursday in protest against the suspension.
Delhi Home Minister Satyendra Jain said he had no information about the strike. “Suspension is an administration matter, a cabinet decision was failed to be implemented,” he said. The minister also criticized LG Najeeb Jung for “directing” officials not to work.
On the issue of suspension, Upadhyay said: “The suspension of two special secretaries is completely a wrong administrative decision. BJP strongly opposes such harassment of officials,” he said, and alleged that the state home minister was pressurising officials under his ministry to sign the file pertaining to the revision of pay scale of its standing counsel Rahul Mehra.
Meanwhile, the Centre has termed the Delhi government’s decision to suspend the officers as ‘non est’ (does not exist) and said the two should officers should be considered deemed to be on duty. The home ministry is likely to issue a formal order terming null and void the suspension order, according to sources.