Delhi govt employees say Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia 'in denial' over Anshu Prakash issue, demand apology

New Delhi: A joint forum of Delhi government employees on Monday appealed to Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik to take action against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia in the case of alleged assault on Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash. [caption id=“attachment_4367901” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of Delhi Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash. PTI[/caption] The forum passed a resolution in its meeting on Monday, stating that until Kejriwal and Sisodia give “a specific written and public apology” and steps are taken to ensure the personal safety and dignity of officers, they will continue to work with AAP ministers through written communication only. The resolution claimed that instead of apologising and admitting their mistake, the chief minister and the deputy chief minister are in a “denial mode” which shows that they were a “part of the conspiracy”.

The forum also rejected the mediation of Social Welfare Minister Rajender Pal Gautam to find out a solution to the current crisis between the AAP dispensation and the bureaucracy. “The Joint Forum of Delhi Government Employees demands that the prerequisite to any dialogue with the political executive is a specific written and public apology from Hon’ble chief minister & Hon’ble deputy chief minister regarding the criminal act of physical assault on the chief secretary,” the resolution stated. Reading out the resolution at a press conference in New Delhi, Pooja Joshi, member of the forum, said, “Instead of apologising and admitting their mistake of assault on the chief secretary at midnight, chief minister and deputy chief minister are in denial mode. “This shows that they were a part of the conspiracy and since they are specifically identified in the FIR, we appeal to LG and the commissioner of police to take action as per law against the chief minister and deputy chief minister,” the resolution said. It expressed “deep concern” that not only has the political executive “failed” to condemn or regret the above incident, but also more incidents of public representatives misbehaving with and threatening government servants have taken place in the intervening period. The resolution alleged that an open “threat” by an MLA was given in the presence of Arvind Kejriwal who has made no statement condemning the same. In such a situation, communication between the political and permanent executive can only continue through formal written means and no talks are possible. “Therefore, the joint forum resolves that all Delhi Government employees will continue to work through formal written means of communication,” the resolution said.  

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The employees said that they will continue their protest “in the form of five-minutes silence at 1.30 pm (lunch time) in all government offices till such time a specific written and public apology is tendered by CM and deputy CM and steps are taken to ensure the personal safety and dignity of officers while they discharge their official duties,” resolution stated.