File photo of Arvind Kejriwal and Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, currently locked in a bitter feud
After IAS officers yesterday deplored the way their colleagues in Delhi are being treated in a power struggle between Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has retaliated in tweets.
"IAS association was sleeping like Kumbhkaran when Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary were humiliated and removed," AAP leader Ashutosh tweeted this morning, referring to the sacking of the two top bureaucrats by the BJP-led government at the Centre earlier this year.
On Wednesday, the IAS Officers' Association met to discuss the escalating turf war between Mr Kejriwal and the Lieutenant Governor, which has resulted in one officer being publicly criticized and another ignominiously removed and locked out of his office.
Among those present in the meeting was Shakuntala Gamlin, whose appointment by the Lieutenant Governor last week triggered the ugly row. Mr Kejriwal alleges that Ms Gamlin had favoured power distribution companies and acted against public interest.
The officers passed a resolution saying: "We view with anguish the way IAS officers have been treated and subjected to character assassination, we condemn it."
To get back at Mr Jung, the Chief Minister removed the Principal Secretary who signed off on his decision to appoint Shakuntala Gamlin. Anindo Majumdar was on Monday locked out of his office. Two more officers were appointed in his place, but they too, are caught in the crossfire.
Yesterday, the Lieutenant Governor wrote to the Delhi government saying all transfers and appointments in the past few days stand cancelled as they were not approved by him.
Amid reports that many bureaucrats had requested to be transferred out of Delhi and those working outside did not want to return, Mr Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia met with officers yesterday.
Sources in the home ministry claim at least a dozen officers have applied for transfers, but AAP has rejected it.