Shakuntala Gamlin appointment: Opposition attacks Delhi CM Kejriwal over 'dictator-like' approach

New Delhi: Opposition parties on Saturday attacked the AAP government over the row surrounding the appointment of senior bureaucrat Shakuntala Gamlin as acting Chief Secretary, and slammed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for his “dictator-like” approach on the issue. “Lt Governor is the head of Delhi and Kejriwal has a dictator-like approach,” Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay claimed. He also alleged that AAP is doing “politics of confrontation” and wants the Lt Governor, bureaucrats and even mayors to work “according to the chief minister”. [caption id=“attachment_2248052” align=“alignleft” width=“380” class=" “]  Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay. Image courtesy: IBNLive[/caption] In a bitter face-off, Delhi Lt Governor Najeeb Jung yesterday appointed Gamlin as the acting chief secretary of the city government notwithstanding strong reservations by the Kejriwal dispensation which termed the decision as “unconstitutional”. “Shakuntala Gamlin is an honest officer. As per media reports government was trying to bring Parimal Rai and everyone knows what happened in CWG and how many chargesheets are against him,” Upadhyay alleged. Even Congress leaders likened Kejriwal to a “dictator” and asked him to work in a democratic way. “Arvind Kejriwal portrays himself as dictator when it comes to dealing with his party leaders, the LG and government. He should work in democratic way. Who has made him dictator of this state that he will do things according to his own way,” Congress leader P L Punia alleged. Another BJP leader, Nalin Kohli said, “Constitution of India would be as it is in the Constitution and not as Kejriwal and his team mates built it. They should just read article 239A of the Constitution. If they have a problem understanding it then they could refer to constitutional experts.” Taking about the row over appointment of Gamlin, Kohli said, “There were five names involved. One did not wanted to come in, another one they did not want. The third person was already shifted by them and they were left with two names on the list and Manish Sisodia said that either one of them we can take it, and they sat on the file for 36 hours for an acting Chief Secretary, who is to be appointed for a very small period of time. “The LG has the power and took a decision and approved one of the names that were acceptable to Sisodia and his government. So it is AAP who is creating constitutional crisis and trying to politicise it.” Reacting over Gamlin’s appointment row, senior bureaucrat, Ashish Joshi claimed, “It is very sad and it is not a good signal. I have worked with Shakuntala Gamlin and found her to be very committed. “I have read in newspaper that government claims that she was favouring a power company but if she was favoring someone then why was she continuing as power secretary. It is contradiction. This strategy which has been adopted to de-motivate and target civil servant is extremely dangerous for democracy.” Ashish Joshi was former Delhi Dialogue Commission (DDC) secretary and was removed from Delhi Government. Coming out in support of the Delhi government, AAP leader Sanjay Singh, “I feel the chief minister should be kept in the loop in deciding who will work with the government. “If LG wants to run this government then it reflects that he is working on the directions of central government,” he alleged. PTI