In the war between the ELECTED and the SELECTED

The election for Delhi Assembly was the most watched one, as it pitched a novice against the seasoned one. Despite facing strong criticism for having deserted Delhi after 49 days rule, Arvind Kejriwal not only got 67 seats out of 70 but also put a stop to the victory chariot of BJP riding on the high wave of Narendra Modi.
Just five months into the rule, voters are feeling disillusioned for reasons more than one. Every appointment by the elected Chief Minister Kejriwal is being turned down by the Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung. Many believe that actions of Jung are not isolated , instead guided by the central government and BJP that has not been able to take defeat in its stride, and is now trying to control and rule through proxy. The situation in Delhi went from ridiculous to serious. Last week Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung made perhaps the most beyond belief claim made by anyone who has ever held a gubernatorial position in India: he claimed that he was the “government”. In a letter written to the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the Lt. Governor made a reference to the constitution and wrote “The constitutionally valid and consistent definition of ‘government’ is the Lieutenant Governor of the National Capital Territory of Delhi appointed by the President under Article 239 and designated as such under Article 239 AA of the Constitution,” cancelling the appointment of Swati Maliwal as head of the Delhi Commission for Women, the latest in a series of such actions by him annulling orders of the elected government. By stating so, he has undermined the very presence of an elected legislature and the chief minister in Delhi. Jung’s statement raises an elementary question: if he is indeed the ‘government’, then why was time and money wasted in establishing an elected government in Delhi? The role being played by Jung in the conflict between the elected state government and the central government is dubious with the fight now taking a turn of dangerous proportions ,with AAP workers and the Delhi Police under the control of the Union Home Ministry clashing almost on a daily basis, with the AAP even accusing the police of trying to kill the deputy chief of the state unit Dilip Pandey and the Delhi Police Chief BS Bassi, who has been battling Delhi government’s charges over the functioning of his force, daring chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to a public debate. Delhi government has been issuing advertisements requesting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to direct Delhi police to ensure safety to the woman folk. The same is retailed by the Delhi Police by issuing documentary and taking on the Delhi Government, showing a total lack of trust. Such an act is turning dangerous and the results are becoming more than the obvious. Arvind Kejriwal today stands as a person who is answerable for all that the Delhi government does, has responsibilities to perform but with no authority whatsoever.

BJP could not wait for the AAP government under Kejriwal to fail and is tacitly encouraging Delhi’s Lt. Governor and in doing so is playing with the sentiments of the voters of Delhi. It has given Arvind Kejriwal a mass politician ample sentimental support, as his works for crime against women and efforts against corruption have been stalled through Lt Governor. Centre, through the Lt Governor has conveyed the feeling that it still carries the bitterness of Kejriwal’s victory and that the BJP is yet to recover from the trauma of the washout in February. The problem is that while Kejriwal is playing the game like an ace politician, the Centre is allowing Jung to shove with him on every issue.

Kejriwal can’t appoint an officer of his choice, can’t transfer an officer; and he is known to not work with his hand tied behind his back, the matter can take an ugly turn too. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP Chief Amit Shah must remember that Arvind Kejriwal is an “elected’ leader and the selected leader in Najeeb Jung can’t be allowed to act like a one man government.