The Delhi government has been in a bitter tug-of-war with LG VK Saxena, who is from Gujarat and was appointed by the Centre, over the distribution of powers in the capital.
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday lambasted Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena for obstructing the work of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government instead of working with them. "I want to tell LG saheb, ‘You have come from Gujarat. You are our guest’. I don't think he would be knowing even the names of Delhi roads. But we don't want to fight. We want to work together,” the AAP supremo said while speaking at the assembly.
Vinai Kumar Saxena, who is from Gujarat, is the first Delhi LG from a non-defence and non-bureaucratic background.
“What will future generations say? They were fighting. We have to take sewer connections to every household, buy new buses, improve the traffic situation...let's do it together. We will work with you. It is not India-Pakistan war. When the CM and LG start working together, it will actually be a double-engine government," Kejriwal said.
The Delhi government has been in a bitter tug-of-war with LG Saxena, appointed by the Centre, over the distribution of powers in the capital. AAP has accused him of acting on the behest of the BJP-led central government.
The new Delhi liquor policy (excise policy 2021-22) that drew a series of probes and arrests against AAP leaders, was rolled back after Saxena’s appointment as the governor as he recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the role of former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia in it. The CBI arrested Sisodia last month following the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids in connection with the case.
Meanwhile, Kejriwal also attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said under his leadership, an attempt is being made to destroy the country.
"Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, an attempt is being made to destroy the country. Those who want to destroy the country should be in BJP and those who want to save the country should leave BJP," he said, causing an uproar in the Assembly.
Referring to the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from Lok Sabha, Kejriwal targeted the central government and said "they are scared". Gandhi was disqualification from the Lok Sabha upon his conviction and sentencing in a criminal defamation case.