LG’s comment creates political furore

Triggering a fresh row, in a reported comment, Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung has said that he was not averse to mulling over scrapping the Delhi Assembly if such a proposal was brought before him. This comment has evoked a strong reaction from AAP which alleged Delhi was being used by the Centre as a “testing” ground for possibly imposing Emergency in the country.

However, the LG Secretariat denied the comment that was reportedly made by the LG in an interview with a television channel. “LG has not said that ‘he can dismiss the Delhi government’ and one can listen to the interview on Youtube. The LG was repeatedly asked this question by the interviewer. He only said that he would consider if any such situation arises in future,” said a senior officer at the LG Secretariat on condition of anonymity. 

Meanwhile, the AAP alleged that Jung has “perennial hatred” for Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and that such political comments by a person occupying a Constitutional post amounts to “undermining” the Constitution. AAP’s Kumar Vishwas slammed Jung for his comments on the Assembly and dared the Centre to bring in a legislation to dissolve it. The AAP has an overwhelming majority in the Assembly with 67 MLAs in the 70-member House. 

Earlier, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain accused Jung of “speaking the language of the Viceroy and Churchill” by suggesting that the Delhi Assembly can be scrapped. Jung “has never fought any election, yet he has reached the top. It is but natural he will say this.” Jain added: “The LG is speaking the language of the Viceroy and Churchill.” 

Deputy CM Manish Sisodia called on Najeeb Jung on Tuesday evening. This was the first such meeting between the two following last week’s Delhi High Court verdict that stamped the primacy of the LG in the city administration. The meeting lasted for about half an hour during which they discussed various issues pertaining to the AAP government including recent developments after the HC order.