Delhi Lt Governor trying to act against Vidhan Sabha committees: AAP

The AAP on Monday alleged that Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena is trying to "act" against Vidhan Sabha committees and has written to the chief secretary and the assembly seeking details on their functioning.

Party national spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj told a press conference that the Petitions Committee of the Delhi assembly had recommended action against officials on three different issues. But the Lt Governor (LG), instead of taking action against them, decided to take action against the committees, he alleged.

"The Delhi LG is trying to act against Vidhan Sabha committees. He has written to Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar and the Delhi Vidhan Sabha questioning how the committees are functioning and whether they are going against the law," the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said.

"He feels that they are interfering in the work of government officials. The LG has problems with the committees. This makes it clear that whatever the officials do to interfere in the functioning of the government is done at the behest of the LG," he alleged.

Citing instances where the Petitions Committee of the Delhi assembly intervened, Bhardwaj said that the committee had taken up the matter of sacking of OPD (outdoor-patient department) employees in state-run hospitals.

"OPD employees working for months were sacked, leaving the counters empty. During the Petitions Committee hearing, it was found that two IAS officers were deliberately sitting on files and when the committee intervened, those issues were resolved," he said.

"The committee had recommended to the LG to take action against Health Secretary Amit Singla and Principal Secretary, Finance, AC Verma but nothing was done," Bhardwaj claimed.

He said that Singla and Verma were also found to be involved in stopping salaries of doctors employed in Mohalla Clinics.

"Despite having crores of rupees in its (mohalla clnincs' dedicated) account, mohalla clinics were unable to disburse salaries of doctors and money was stopped for conducting tests. It was found by the committee that Singla and Verma were involved in too," he said.

In another instance, Bhardwaj claimed, before Diwali, the social welfare department had stopped disbursing pension of senior citizens and poor people.

"The Petitions Committee had recommended action against Social Welfare Director Pooja Joshi but again no action was taken against here by the LG. This goes to show that all this was being done on the directions of the LG," he said.

Bhardwaj said the Petitions Committee is currently hearing the matter related to supply of ration.

"Ever since the implementation of the 'One Nation One Ration' scheme, people are complaining that their ration shops have either stopped supplying ration or are supplying them in less quantity. We are hearing the matter and have summoned officers of the food and supplies department," he said.