JOIN USThe new AAP government very nearly landed in an embarrassing situation during a recent presentation by the women and child department when an expert appointed by Team Arvind Kejriwal called a bureaucrat an “RSS” sympathiser, source said.
An official, who was witnessed the scene at the presentation, said the remark was made by an AAP volunteer appointed as an expert in a panel of the women and child department.
“The commotion took place while Women and Child Development Minister Sandeep Kumar was also present,” said the official, refusing to be named.
He said the volunteer targeted Indian Administrative Service officer Saumya Gupta, who is director, women and child development, while she was briefing the minister on Tuesday about the projects of the department.
When contacted by Deccan Herald on Thursday to know if there was any commotion at the meeting, Gupta said: “No”.
Sources, however, said the AAP expert was not happy with the presentation given by Gupta and interrupted her by bluntly asking her not to sound like an “RSS teacher”.
Sources said officials of the women and child development department objected to the use of “objectionable” language by the expert, forcing the minister to intervene and prevent the situation from turning ugly.
The incident sent a signal that the AAP government was looking at officials with suspicion despite Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal asking bureaucrats to work fearlessly and give their suggestions for better efficiency.
Involvement of AAP volunteers for enhancing governance efficiency has been team Kejriwal’s tested formula but the Chief Minister is also wary of party volunteers causing embarrassment to the government .
This is one of the reasons why Kejriwal, in his second term as the Chief Minister, has not allowed the entry of volunteers, other than those who are nominated to department committees, into the Delhi secretariat, party sources said.