NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash could not reach office on Thursday, owing to health issues, with his office bearer claiming that Prakash is on medical leave and suffering from high-blood pressure.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Secretariat staff expressed anguish over the alleged assault on Prakash, with Delhi government officials, including IAS and DANICS officers, on Thursday observing a five-minute silence to express their anguish over the "breach of faith" by the city government.
The associations of all IAS, Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Civil Service (DANICS) and Delhi Administration Subordinate Services (DASS) decided that all government employees would observe a five-minute silence outside their respective offices on all working days at 1.30 pm during lunch.
With the silence to be observed every day, there seems to be no thaw in the strained relation between the AAP dispensation and bureaucracy.
"This protest will continue on all working days at 1.30 pm in all the Delhi government offices, Jal Board, other affiliated offices till the political executive takes tangible steps to ensure safety and dignity of government employees," Manisha Saxena, secretary of IAS Association, said.
Principal Secretary (Home) Manoj Parida led to the five-minute silence by all officials at the Secretariat, which houses the offices of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, cabinet ministers and top officials, including the chief secretary.
The staff working in various departments, such as Revenue, Education, Transport, DUSIB and DTC, observed the silence in protest against the alleged assault on Prakash by some Aam Aadmi Party MLAs at the chief minister's residence earlier this week.
On Wednesday, two AAP MLAs were arrested and sent to judicial custody for the alleged assault. While the AAP maintained that the assault charge was a move to malign its image, Delhi Police on Wednesday released the report medical examination of the chief secretary, which said he had a "bruise" on his lower lip and "swelling" behind the ears. Following the allegation, the IAS Association has decided that officers will not meet or even talk over phone to the CM, his ministers or MLAs, till he apologised and took action.