Denied appointment for meeting twice, Delhi Speaker accuses LG of 'violating Indian culture'

NEW DELHI: Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel on Wednesday said that Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal has "violated Indian culture, as well as Constitutional norms," by not giving time to meet him, despite being requested twice.

Goel said he had written two letters to the LG, on January 4 and 10, asking for an appointment to meet him and extend New Year greetings. However, the LG's office did not give him an appointment.

"Even the President gives time to meet him," Goel said, adding that Baijal's predecessor Najeeb Jung never declined to meet him.

"As custodian of the legislature of Delhi, if it was painful for me to a see majority of our legislators struggling to get time from your office, with very honorable exception of four legislators who are fortunate enough to have unhindered access to Raj Niwas," the Speaker wrote in his letter, referring to the four BJP MLAs of the Opposition.

He also wrote to Baijal that "corporate cronies have better access to your office, but not the elected MLAs of Delhi."

He said Baijal replied to him on January 13 through a letter, but still did not give an appointment to meet him.

Additionally, Goel launched a scathing attack on the opposition of BJP MLAs over putting up Tipu Sultan's portrait in the Assembly.

He strongly proclaimed that it wouldn't be removed "at any cost" and accused BJP of creating controversies.

"Won't remove the portrait at any cost. (The) BJP always creates controversies," Goel said during an official meeting here on Wednesday.

On the occasion of Republic Day, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal unveiled the portraits of 70 personalities who played a vital role in building the nation and contributed to the country's freedom struggle.

These heroes include freedom fighters Ashfaqulla Khan and Bhagat Singh, Birsa Munda, Rani Chennamma and Subhas Chandra Bose.

The portraits are two-and-a-half-feet long and one-and-a-half-feet wide and carry a brief description of the personality and their contribution to the country and were installed in the Assembly galleries.

However, BJP MLA Manjinder Singh Sirsa took exception to Tipu Sultan's picture in the Assembly premises and urged the Speaker to order its removal.

The MLA alleged that Tipu Sultan was a "tyrant who forced four lakh Hindus and Christians to convert".