Support for Kejriwal growing steadily.
Even though the Congress party has defended its decision to not join other opposition parties, support for Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over his standoff with LG Anil Baijal is growing with several political leaders slamming Narendra Modi led government at Centre. After Shiv Sena, now JD(U) too have weighed in on the exisiting crisis and have supported Kejriwal.
Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal, accompanied by his top ministers, have stayed put at the Lieutenant Governor's office since last week's Monday, demanding that Baijal should direct the IAS officers to end their "strike". Since the alleged assault on Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash by some AAP MLAs at the chief minister's residence on the intervening night of February 19-20, the officers have been demanding that Kejriwal should "make them feel safe" and take steps to ensure their safety while attending meetings with ministers.
On Monday, JD(U) national spokesperson Pavan Varma gave his support towards AAP government in Delhi and indirectly cautioned ruling BJP in the centre.
Pavan Varma said on Twitter, " While condemning the alleged misbehaviour against the CS, now that the CM’s has assured IAS officers regarding their safety, and appealed to them to resume their mandated duties, they must do so immediately, for the people of Delhi". In a veiled jibe at BJP, Varma said, " Those urging officers to non-cooperate against the elected government of the day, may reap immediate political benefit, but will destroy the very foundations of our Republic in the long run. What can happen against one elected govt can happen against another too".
Varma in the past has made clean break from JD(U)'s official position to criticise BJP on several occassions. So it is unclear, whether Varma was echoing the party line on Twitter. However, it is certain, Varma adds to the growing clamour of leaders who has supported the Delhi CM in this stand-off with IAS officers.
Expressing solidarity with the AAP, CPI(M) supremo Yechury on Sunday joined the march at Mandi House. "Joining the protest rally to the Prime Minister's residence today to express serious condemnation over the manner in which federalism, a fundamental feature of our Constitution, is being undermined by this BJP Central government," he said.
BJP ally ShivSena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday spoke to Kejriwal and discussed the current situation.
DMK working President MK Stalin also expressed his solidarity in a tweet. "I am concerned with the disdain shown by Lt. Gov. of Delhi towards an elected Chief Minister like @ArvindKejriwal. The BJP is proactively destroying the federal structure of this nation," he tweeted. Actor-politician Shatrughan Sinha who earlier declared support for Kejriwal also issued a strong takedown in a series of tweets.
"Heavens wouldn't have fallen if you had allowed CMs of West Bengal, Kerala, Karnataka & AP to meet our popular & favorite CM Arvind Kejriwal. It's high time to realize that they are elected (& not selected) CMs by our people of India. This kind of blatant show of autocracy, despotism, autarchy & use of power by stopping the meet of elected CMs of states will only ridicule our party’s image & give them tremendous sympathy of their followers. Just think of it & take it as “Food for Thought” - consider the genuine demand by Arvind Kejriwal," read the tweets.
"The yours, theirs & ours demand of “Full statehood for Delhi” must be fulfilled in the larger interest of people of Delhi & Nation, sooner the better, before the deterioration of health of leaders (sitting on fast for 05 days) & voices/ demands/sympathy escalates," he said in another tweet.
Shatrughan Sinha's last one ended with an appeal: "We appreciate & applaud Arvind's commitment, determination & image. Hope & pray that good sense prevails & administration/bureaucracy does not repeat this. People are getting the impression that the leaders have been blocked from meeting on ur instructions Sir. God bless.Jai Hind".
However, Congress ally and Leader of Opposition in Jharkhand Hemant Soren said that events unfolding in Delhi are clearly brazen violation of constitutional norms.
"After @ncbn'ji @MamataOfficial'ji @CMOKerala 'ji & @hd_kumaraswamy'ji been denied permission by @LtGovDelhi to meet @ArvindKejriwal'ji y'day night, the events unfolding in #DelhiCrisis are clearly brazen violation of constitutional norms & #restrictedfederalism in the country," Soren tweeted.
Earlier in the day, rebutted the AAP's claim that they were on strike, the Delhi IAS association asked Kejriwal government not to use its officers for 'political gains'.
Revenue Secretary Manisha Saxena, along with Transport Commissioner Varsha Joshi, South Delhi District Magistrate Amjad Tak and Directorate of Information and Publicity Secretary Jaydev Sarangi held a press conference and said that the IAS officers in Delhi are "working with utmost sincerity and dedication".
"We have been targeted and victimised and told that we are working with someone. We would like to inform that we are not on strike," said Manisha Saxena.
However, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has urged IAS Officers Association to stop the boycott of the elected government and return to work, assuring them of safety and security.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Kerala's Pinarayi Vijayan, Andhra Pradesh's N Chandrababu Naidu and Karnataka's H D Kumaraswamy also had a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh on the sidelines of the NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting and urged the Centre to resolve the issue.
With agency inputs
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