Parties train guns on Kejriwal, want him to step down

Seeking resignation of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the rival BJP and the Congress on Tuesday stepped up their attacks on the AAP government over the controversial 21 parliamentary secretaries and alleged graft in the app-based bus scheme.

Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken said  the appointment of 21 parliamentary secretaries was not only against rules, but also morally unethical.

“We have submitted a petition to the Chief Election Commission for cancelling the membership of the 21 MLAs from the Assembly,” said Maken.

On corruption in the Kejriwal Cabinet, he said: “In the past one year, three AAP ministers had to resign due to cheating, corruption and inefficiency.”

“Kejriwal should cast away the pretence of honesty and integrity as he has no right to remain in power,” Maken said.

Maken also tweeted: “Half of Kejriwal cabinet removed on corruption, cheating & inefficiency in 1 yr! Tpt. Min. Gopal Rai resigns- Premium Bus Investigation.”

“In wake of Premium Bus Service investigation – Transport Minister Gopal Rai resigns – Or is he being shunted out for dismal Public Transport?” tweeted Maken.

“Minister Gopal Rai’s decision to relinquish the transport portfolio citing health reasons and keep the other five portfolios with him raises the question whether he wants to escape from the inquiry on the premium bus service scandal,” said the Congress leader.

The BJP also criticised the Kejriwal government over the controversial appointment of 21 MLAs as parliamentary secretaries in the backdrop of President Pranab Mukherjee denying assent to a Bill that protects 21 MLAs appointed as parliamentary secretaries.

BJP’s Leader of Opposition in Assembly Vijender Gupta said: “Kejriwal should resign on moral grounds. “

Violating the law that allows only a six Ministers in the Cabinet, in addition to a Chief Minister, kejriwal was running a 27-member Cabinet by appointing  21 MLAs as parliamentary secretaries from the backdoor, said Gupta.

“Besides the rejection of the office of profit bill by the President, the circumstances under which the Kejriwal government admitted the Rs 400 crore water tanker scam is a moral defeat of Kejriwal and he should now resign,” said Gupta.

Gupta said the Kejriwal government has no option but to obtain resignation from the MLAs appointed as parliamentary secretaries.

“The Delhi government admitted its mistake on the day when provision was made in the office of profit Bill to implement it with retrospective effect,” he said.

“It showed that the government was aware that it took an unconstitutional decision earlier,” said Gupta.

The BJP leader claimed Kejriwal was misleading people claiming that the parliamentary secretaries were not getting any perks.

An RTI filed by BJP leader Vivek Garg revealed the evidence of the official benefits given to the 21 MLAs, Gupta said.

Garg became a party to a complaint filed before the Election Commission seeking disqualification of the legislators from the Assembly, Gupta said.