Strained relations between the AAP dispensation and bureaucrats surfaced again with Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot allegedly "rebuking" senior IAS officer and transport secretary Varsha Joshi during a meeting, sources said today.
Joshi, who had been at the centre of a similar confrontation earlier, faced Gahlot's ire during the meeting yesterday to review replies to be given to transport department-related questions of MLAs in the monsoon session of the Delhi Assembly beginning August 6.
Joshi refused to comment on the matter when contacted. Efforts to seek Gahlot's version of the matter elicited no response.
The forum of transport department associations accused Gahlot of "misbehaving" with Joshi and sought his apology in a statement.
"The officers and staff of transport department are pained at the misbehaviour of Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot with secretary-cum-commissioner (transport) Varsha Joshi. The minister not only misbehaved with an upright and honest woman officer but also insulted her in the presence of 30 other officials in the meeting," it said.
Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta accused Gahlot of "humiliating and mentally harassing" Joshi.
"Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot misbehaved and shouted at Transport Secretary Varsha Joshi in the meeting held at Delhi Secretariat. He shouted at her to remain within her limits and said that he will teach her how to work in service," Gupta said in a statement.
The sources said the relations between the minister and Joshi were not cordial due to her "objections" to procedures being followed for procurement of buses.
"Last month she had opposed Delhi government's proposal for procuring 1000 e-buses without a detailed project report and resisted appointment of DIMTS as consultant for the project.
"Earlier this week she had again protested against a proposal for bilateral agreement with a private company for procurement of 1,000 low-floor buses by DTC without tender, in a meeting attended by Gahlot," one of the sources said.
The confrontation is likely to resonate loudly in the coming session of Assembly.
AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj said he hoped IAS officers would provide answers to all questions asked by members of the Assembly.
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