'Your office has become proxy of BJP': Delhi CM Atishi slams L-G VK Saxena

Delhi CM Atishi responded to L-G VK Saxena's criticism of Arvind Kejriwal, accusing him of stalling welfare projects, ignoring city safety, and tarnishing the Governor's office legacy

Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena's New Year greetings to Chief Minister Atishi, which included criticisms of her predecessor Arvind Kejriwal, have sparked a sharp rebuttal. In a detailed two-page response, the chief minister expressed hope that Saxena would "let go of the baggage of politics" in the New Year and focus on the welfare of Delhi's citizens.

 

Atishi outlined 10 key "concerns" in her letter, accusing the Lieutenant Governor of prioritising "criticism rather than constructive cooperation," engaging in "unnecessary interventions that slowed down critical work," and halting the Mahila Samman Yojana. She also alleged that his office had become a "proxy of the BJP."

 

 

The chief minister criticised Saxena for his alleged failure to ensure the city’s safety, stating, "the one job that you are directly responsible for and mandated to do."

 

Referring to alleged voter inducement, Atishi wrote, "While an ex-Member of Parliament has been busy distributing money to lure voters right under your nose from his illegally occupied bungalow, your response of giving him police protection to conduct this illegal activity will go down in history as a benchmark of irresponsible and illegal behaviour."

 

She further added, "While kids and women are being kidnapped and assaulted on a daily basis in Delhi, you have been occupied by pointless mudslinging and issuing instructions to the police to conduct raids and inquiries on our leaders on a daily basis."

 

She further accused the Lieutenant Governor of damaging the reputation of his office, saying, "Your actions have irreparably damaged the respect that people held for the office of the Lieutenant Governor and have tarnished the legacy left behind by your predecessors."

 

Saxena, who noted that his letter was written in a personal capacity, began by praising Atishi's governance. "This is the first time in my two-and-a-half-year tenure that I am seeing a chief minister discharge the duties of a chief minister. Your predecessor did not handle a single government department and never signed a file. In contrast, you are handling many departments and trying to tackle many governance issues," he said.

 

He also criticised Kejriwal, referencing his remark about Atishi being a "temporary Chief Minister." Saxena said, "There is no such post in the Constitution and it is a reprehensible neglect to the concept of democracy in the Constitution of Babasaheb Ambedkar."

 

He called it an insult to the President of India, who appointed Atishi, and to himself, who administered her oath.

 

In her response, Atishi emphasised her government's commitment to continuing Kejriwal's policies, asserting that the administration is "deeply rooted in the vision and legacy" of the former Chief Minister. "Be it the educational reforms, healthcare revolution, or infrastructural advancements, his model of governance has become a benchmark not just in Delhi but across India... The people of Delhi have repeatedly shown their faith in this government and in Arvind Kejriwal," she wrote.

 

(With agency inputs)