Who's lying? AAP-chief secretary spat puts credibility of Delhi administration at risk
AAP leaders hold a press conference on February 20.
AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan’s dramatic surrender at a police station surrounded by a horde of his supporters on Wednesday was the latest twist in the spat playing out between the Aam Aadmi Party and the Delhi chief secretary over the past few days.
While it is getting difficult to keep track of the number of FIRs filed in the row, the diametrically opposite version of events narrated by the chief secretary and AAP leaders has called into question the credibility of Delhi’s administration. Even as the widening rift between bureaucrats and the ruling party has led to fears about the effective functioning of the government, the AAP has done little more than cry victim and point fingers.
Alleged assault of Delhi Chief Secy: AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan reaches Jamia Nagar Police Station, says that he has come to surrender, also added that, 'I have not done anything wrong.' pic.twitter.com/enQIO7CKSM
— ANI (@ANI) February 21, 2018
As chief secretary Anshu Prakash alleged on Monday that he was manhandled by AAP MLAs, multiple players quickly jumped into the fray. While the IAS association announced a strike, the Congress demanded an apology from the Congress. The BJP, rather bizarrely, called the incident “urban naxalism”. A plea was even made in the high court, which declined to get involved.
By Wednesday, after Khan surrendered and another AAP MLA, Prakash Jarwal, had been arrested, the party claimed a Muslim and a Dalit MLA had been “targeted".
So far, Prakash has filed a complaint against AAP MLAs for assaulting him. Ambedkar Nagar MLA Ajay Dutt had complained against him for using “casteist slurs”, and party leaders Aashish Khetan and Imran Hussain have filed complaints that they were manhandled and their party volunteers assaulted by “motivated elements” masquerading as government employees on Tuesday.
This hectic activity has further muddled up a disgraceful controversy.
The chief secretary’s version
Delhi chief secretary Anshu Prakash has alleged that he was called to the CM’s house late on Monday evening for a meeting over the “delay” in releasing a three-year anniversary TV campaign for the government. Around 11 MLAs were present there, who, he claims, began to shout at him. “One MLA, whom I can identify, threatened that I will be confined in the room for the entire night unless I agree to release the TV campaign,” Prakash had said.
Visuals of #DelhiChiefSecretary Anshu Prakash leaving PMO after a meeting. pic.twitter.com/u7l7ZEsltB
— ANI (@ANI) February 21, 2018
Amanatullah Khan and Prakash Jarwal, he adds, “started hitting and assaulting me and hit several blows with fists on my head and temple.” Prakash’s medical reports have confirmed cut marks and swelling on and near his face. On Wednesday, he attended a meeting at the PMO.
AAP’s version
The Aam Aadmi Party’s narration of the events is totally different, and it has alleged Prakash is acting at the BJP’s behest.
On Twitter, the party claimed: “About 2.5 lakh families deprived of rations last month due to faulty implementation of Aadhaar. MLAs were under tremendous pressure from the public. There was a meeting of MLAs at CM residence. CS refused to answer questions saying that he was not answerable to MLAs and CM and that he was answerable only to LG. He even used bad language against some MLAs and left without answering any questions.”
Jarwal has said: “We had asked him about an area where people were not getting basic facilities like medicine, the chief secretary suddenly shouted “maine Daliton ki thekedaari nahi le rakhi hai (I am not responsible for Dalits)”. His temper was high. He said that 'you are not fit to be MLA, I will only reply to the L-G'.”
On Tuesday, AAP legislators were heckled outside the Delhi Assembly. The party has claimed the protesters were BJP workers.
The ‘faulty implementation of Aadhaar’ issue
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the Delhi government did away with the need for Aadhaar cards to buy subsidised ration. The government has recently introduced point-of-sale machines at fair price shops that required Aadhaar biometrics to stop theft of ration and promote transparency.
However, problems soon surfaced with faulty machines, network connectivity issues, and erratic fingerprint recognition, especially of the elderly.
Implications
The possibility that either the top bureaucrat or the ruling party of the national capital is lying is highly worrisome.
For the AAP, facing by-elections in 20 constituencies after its MLAs were disqualified over the office-of-profit issue, the negative publicity over the issue was probably the last thing it needed.
With Delhi’s administration split between its government and the Centre due to its unique status as a Union Territory serving as the country’s capital, the two power centres need to work in sync for effective governance. However, over the past few years, the tussle has only worsened, with the AAP alleging that the BJP is trying to hobble its government through the L-G, who controls Delhi’s police, public order and land matters.
This power struggle is hurting the people of Delhi, and the federal structure of India’s polity. While the BJP and the AAP are political rivals in Delhi and other states, as the party ruling the Centre, the BJP needs to shun an adversarial approach and reach out to resolve this tussle.
If the AAP MLAs are found guilty, this is the height of indiscipline and disregard for the law. While the police probe is on, CM Arvind Kejriwal, if he wishes his government to retain credibility, must lose no time in instituting an inquiry at his level, and punishing all those errant.