A controversy has erupted in Delhi over the hoisting of the national flag on Independence Day, with Minister Gopal Rai directing arrangements for his cabinet colleague Atishi to hoist the flag, amid a dispute with the Lieutenant Governor (LG) office.
Issuing the directions, Rai, who is also the Minister for General Administration, said, "I had a meeting with Chief Minister today. He desires that minister Atishi should hoist the flag on August 15, 2024, at the Chhatrasal Stadium event, in his place. All the necessary arrangements be made accordingly."
Rai's directive follows a meeting with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is currently in Tihar Jail. Kejriwal had earlier written to LG VK Saxena, stating that Atishi would hoist the flag in his place, but the LG office claimed they received no communication.
Slamming Kejriwal for the letter, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) pointed out that, as per the national flag protocol, only the chief minister can hoist the flag. The BJP Delhi president Virendra Sachdeva said that if Kejriwal wanted Atishi to hoist the flat, he should resign and make her the CM.
"If the chief minister is unable to hoist the flag, then traditionally, the lieutenant governor of Delhi will hoist the flag. From 1991 to 1993 and in 2014, when there was no chief minister in Delhi, the lieutenant governor hoisted the flag," he said.
'Abuse Of Privileges'
The Tihar Jail authorities informed Kejriwal that his letter to Saxena saying Atishi would hoist the tricolour on Independence Day was "an abuse of privileges" granted to him under the Delhi Prison Rules. Kejriwal was informed that his letter to the LG was not sent to the addressee.
The superintendent of Tihar's jail number 2 cited various provisions of the Delhi Prisons Rules, 2018, and advised Kejriwal in a letter "to desist from any such impermissible activity" or his privileges would be curtailed.
The dispute comes as Kejriwal is lodged in Tihar Jail in connection with the alleged excise policy scam, with interim bail granted by the Supreme Court in a related money laundering case registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Every year, the Delhi government's Independence Day function is held at Chhatrasal Stadium, where the chief minister addresses the gathering.
