After AAP Versus Bureaucrats Row, Delhi’s Top Officer Met Arvind Kejriwal

NEW DELHI: Delhi government’s top officer Anshu Prakash — whose allegations of assault at the Chief Minister’s house had triggered a storm last week both on administrative and political fronts — met Arvind Kejriwal and his ministers today. The meeting was a first since the controversy broke. The bureaucrats in Delhi, who had severely curtailed their work hours and boycotted meetings with ministers, agreed to the meeting ahead of the budget in the state.

The bureaucrats insisted that there be a guarantee of safety. In a letter to Mr Kejriwal, Anshu Prakash said he would attend the meeting, “but this based on the presumption that the CM will ensure there’s no physical attack or verbal assault.”

The Joint Forum of Delhi Government Employees met this morning, and reiterated this demand in a press conference.

“The Budget exercise is crucial for public interest as expenditure is based on this… the forum acknowledges that public interest is paramount and is ready to serve the public even in adverse conditions,” said Pankaj Kumar, a senior official of the forum.

The Budget Session of the Delhi Assembly will be held from March 16 to March 28.

Over the last week, the bureaucrats had been on the warpath. Backed by colleagues across India, they refused to attend meetings outside office and work after office hours, which severely hampered work.

Last week, Anshu Prakash filed a complaint with the police saying AAP lawmakers had launched a “pre-meditated” assault on him when he turned up for a midnight meeting at Mr Kejriwal’s official residence.

The assault, he said, took place in presence of the Chief Minister and his deputy Manish Sisodia, and nine other lawmakers. Two AAP lawmakers – Prakash Jarwal and Amanatullah Khan — were subsequently arrested.

AAP vehemently denied the allegations, claiming Mr Prakash had lied. The party said the bureaucrat had departed unharmed and cited a CCTV footage from the building to prove it.

A medical examination of the Chief Secretary showed he sustained a bruises and cuts on his face. But AAP objected, saying the test was conducted nearly 36 hours after the alleged assault.

Since AAP came to power in 2015, its relation with bureaucrats has been strained. The Delhi government — which has no control over important departments like law and order — has accused the Lieutenant Governor and bureaucrats of obstructing it on the orders of the BJP-led central government.