Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has nominated Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and state Home Minister Kailash Gahlot to hoist the national flag at the state’s Independence Day event at Chhatrasaal Stadium. This decision, announced on Tuesday, bypasses other senior Delhi government leaders, including Atishi, and is expected to fuel tensions between the AAP and the LG Secretariat.
Nomination and LG’s Directive
The nomination was conveyed through a letter from LG’s Secretary Ashish Kundra to Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar. “Lieutenant Governor is pleased to nominate Minister (Home), GNCTD, Kailash Gahlot to unfurl the National Flag at the State level Independence Day celebrations at Chhatrasaal Stadium. Necessary arrangements may be made accordingly,” the letter stated.
Conflict Over Atishi’s Exclusion
Earlier in the day, the Delhi government’s General Administration Department (GAD) refused to comply with a directive from Minister Gopal Rai to make arrangements for Education Minister Atishi to hoist the national flag. AAP claimed that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is currently in judicial custody, had expressed his desire for Atishi to perform the ceremony in his absence. However, the LG office maintained that it had not received any such communication from Kejriwal. The GAD also asserted that the Chief Minister does not have the authority to designate another minister to hoist the flag on his behalf.
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Kejriwal’s Controversial Letter
In a letter addressed to the LG last week, Kejriwal had requested that Atishi hoist the flag during the Independence Day program. However, Tihar Jail authorities deemed the letter an “abuse of privileges” under the Delhi Prison Rules and did not forward it to the LG. This move has sparked further controversy, with senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia criticizing the LG’s actions.
AAP’s Response
Reacting to the situation, Sisodia condemned what he described as “petty politics” on the occasion of Independence Day. He drew a comparison between the treatment of Kejriwal’s letter and that of a letter sent by conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar, which was reportedly submitted to the LG’s office and acted upon promptly. Sisodia argued that an elected government or minister should have the right to hoist the national flag, emphasizing that he saw no reason for the LG’s decision to exclude Atishi.
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