Kejriwal referred to the BJP’s statement as an insult to Delhi’s people on Twitter, saying that the party should instead allow the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government to govern the city. Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal rejected a panel of lawyers selected by the AAP government to handle cases against farmers’ protests against the Centre’s three farm laws. The Deputy CM, Manish Sisodia, also claimed that the Supreme Court had said that Delhi’s Municipal Board had full control over the matter, however, the Lieutenant Governor overturned the cabinet’s decision.
Delhi CM Kejriwal also wrote in Hindi that BJP should allow AAP to work since ‘the people of Delhi formed the AAP government with a historic majority and defeated the BJP’. Deputy Chief Minister Sisodia announced in a virtual Press Conference on Saturday that the Lieutenant Governor has referred the matter to President Kovind as he does not agree with the decision.
According to Lt Governor Anil Baijal’s notice, ‘I have forwarded this matter to the Central Government for the decision of the Honorable President of India as an urgent and sensitive matter in accordance with the Article 239 (A) of the Constitution’. Furthermore, Sisodia raised the question of ‘if all decisions are made by the Central Government and the Lieutenant Governor, then what is the meaning of an elected Government of Delhi?’
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Cabinet decision
CM Kejriwal’s cabinet decided on Monday (July 19) that lawyers hired by the Delhi government would represent the Delhi Police in the cases filed against the farmers over violence and vandalism on January 26 when parts of their rally strayed off agreed routes. In a reversal of the decision of the Delhi cabinet, the Lieutenant Governor approved the panel of Delhi Police. Manish Sisodia accepted that the Lieutenant Governor has the authority to direct decisions to the President if he is not satisfied with them. Sisodia, however, questioned the motives behind the move.
In a letter last week (July 17), Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia asked Lieutenant-Governor Anil Baijal ‘to stop taking decisions on issues under the elected government’. Sisodia’s letter to the Delhi Lieutenant Governor comes after he chaired meetings with government officials on matters allegedly outside of his scope of work, but reportedly under the AAP’s purview. Delhi DyCM Manish Sisodia wrote to L-G Anil Baijal and requested that the latter ‘stop calling meetings of officials and giving them directions on such matters.’
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