From 'fake law degree' to appointment of officers, controversies followed Delhi

Some of the controversies that the Arvind Kejriwal government ran into during its first 100 days include:

Appointment of officers

There is an ongoing controversy over the appointment of officials in the city. There are reports that the Arvind Kejriwal government is planning to push for sending nearly three dozen Indian Administrative Service officers out of the capital. 

The targeting of Acting Chief Secretary Shakuntala Gamlin by Kejriwal and his cabinet ministers for “suspected proximity” to power distribution companies has created an atmosphere of distrust between the bureaucracy and the elected representatives. 

The central government is with the bureaucrats and the Delhi government may have to weather a few more storms before the flare up between Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung and the chief minister gets buried. 

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia marked the 100th day in office by accusing the Narendra Modi-led central government of making the “biggest U-turn” on BJP’s poll promises of granting full statehood to Delhi, and said the AAP government would not keep mum in the face of “bullying”.

AAP stands dividedThe expulsion of senior AAP leaders Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan and the resultant upheaval have created an impression that Kejriwal and his loyalists are more into damage control than governance. The ugly episode has also embolden Kejriwal’s image as a dictator.

Vishwas in the dockThe Delhi Women Commission and the Delhi government are pitted against each other over a complaint received in the Commission against AAP leader Kumar Vishwas. While the commission has issued notice to Vishwas, the complainant woman is questioning his silence and inaction over not dismissing allegations of their “rumoured link-up”. 

The Delhi government has issued notice to Commission chairperson Barkha Singh, a former Congress legislator who is due to demit the DCW office in July. She, in turn, has filed an FIR over threats and obscene phone calls.

‘Fake law degree’Law and Justice Minister Jintender Tomar’s on-going court case over alleged fake academic documents has been cause of great embarrassment for the Kejriwal government. 

The minister was recently divested of the crucial home portfolio. Tomar claims he is clean and all his academic documents are genuine. The Chief Minister has taken in word for now but the rivals have been raking up the issue time and again to allege that Kejriwal is shielding a minister who is in the “wrong”. 

Tilak Nagar MLA Jarnail Singh and Uttam Nagar MLA Naresh Baliyan, along with couple of other MLAs, have also been facing FIRs, forcing the AAP government to defend them repeatedly. The party’s clean image has also been sullied.

Anti-Corruption BranchThe Kejriwal government has always tried to use the ACB against central government employees. As a result, the Delhi government and the central government have been fighting each other appointment of officials to the anti-graft unit. Now, the central government has issued a notification by giving Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung full control over the anti-corruption unit. 

The shortage of staff in the ACB has also blunted its efforts. Though Kejriwal claims that corruption in the city is down by 60-70 per cent, the ACB has not been able to perform to its true potential.

Turkman Gate road rageThe alleged proximity of the accused in a road rage incident to cabinet minister Aasim Khan posed a challenge for the Kejriwal government. Soon after the killing at Turkman Gate, the rivals took turns to circulate photos of the accused in the incident with the minister. 

With allegations that the minister tried to shield the accused, the Kejriwal government’s crisis management skills were tested to their limits during the controversy. 

The kin of the victim were finally brought to the CMO and Khan assured to look after the victim’s children before the issue died down.

Media as contract killerFrom Kejriwal government’s infamous ban on media’s entry into the Secretariat and his comment that the media was playing up the farmer’s suicide at his rally for jacking up TRP has left a few journalists fuming. 

In the latest volley of attacks on the media, Kejriwal went on to say that some media persons have taken contract to finish the AAP government. 

The recent gag order and threat of defamation against critical mediapersons also earned the government a bad name.

 The gag order was later quashed by the Supreme Court. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said the government is not against media but lies. The move by the AAP also came under heavy criticism from the media too, which called it unfair and unethical.