Kejriwal, Chief Secy face-to-face for first time since assault

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash on Tuesday came face-to-face for the first time since the midnight meeting of February 19 where the top bureaucrat alleged that he was assaulted by ruling AAP MLAs.

Prakash along with other officers attended the Cabinet meeting called by Kejriwal to finalise the dates for the Budget Session of the Delhi assembly. The meeting had its share of drama with the Chief Secretary writing a letter to Kejriwal informing that he and other officers would be present on the assumption that chief minister will ensure that there is no physical attack and verbal assault on them.

Officials in the national capital, including those belonging to the IAS, DANICS and DASS cadre, were communicating with the ministers only in writing since the alleged assault on the chief secretary at Kejriwal's official residence during a meeting last week.

Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, in a letter to Kejriwal, said that the "alleged misbehaviour and physical assault" on the Chief Secretary at the residence of the chief minister has had a "demoralising effect" on the entire bureaucracy.

L-G's letter

"This incident has sent shock waves through all sections of government employees in not only Delhi but also in the entire country," Baijal said in the letter written after meeting various service associations.

"From these meetings, the impression he received was that today, government employees in Delhi feel physically insecure, sadly in the very presence of those, who have been elected to uphold democracy and rule of law. He observed that there was a need to introspect how this deplorable state of affairs has developed," a statement issued by the L-G's office said.

The L-G also asked Kejriwal to reach out directly to employees as greater responsibility was on him as the alleged assault had taken place at the chief minister's residence.