Row Over Arvind Kejriwal's Letter To VK Saxena On I-Day Flag Hoisting

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's letter to Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena regarding Independence Day is a "breach of privilege" and has not been sent to him, Tihar jail authorities have said. The Chief Minister has been advised to "desist from any such impermissible activity" or his privileges would be curtailed, reports said. 

Mr Kejriwal wrote to the Lieutenant Governor last week, saying in his stead, Delhi minister Aatishi will hoist the flag on August 15. 

Environment Minister Gopal Rai made the formal announcement about this today. "As per the decision of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Cabinet Minister Atishi will hoist the Tricolour in his absence on August 15," read the notification by the Delhi government shared by AAP.

In the letter to Mr Kejriwal, the Superintendent of Tihar's jail number 2 said, "From a bare reading of the above rules, it is clear that your communication does not qualify in the permissible communication which can be sent outside the prison. Only private correspondence with a designated set of people, as defined above, is permissible. Therefore, your letter dated 06.08.2024 has not been sent to the addressee but has been filed." 

Undertrials are governed by legal provisions of the Delhi Prison Rules, which curtail their rights and privileges, the letter read. "It is surprising to note that the contents of the letter, which was handed over by you on August 6, were leaked to the media without any authority. This amounts to an abuse of privileges granted to you under the Delhi Prison Rules, 2018," the letter added.

The jail superintendent advised Kejriwal "to desist from any such impermissible activity", "failing which I shall be constrained to invoke the provisions of Delhi Prison Rules, 2018, to curtail your privileges," the letter added.

Mr Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21 in a case linked to the Delhi Excise scam. Although he got bail I that, he was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation in connection with another case.

(With PTI)