‘LG acting like tribal chieftain’: Sisodia hits out at Saxena

In a harsh attack on the Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena, Delhi’s deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said that Union government’s representative has been acting like a tribal chieftain (kabile ka sardar) who does not believe in democracy or the Constitution.

“LG has forgotten that he is not a tribal chieftain in a tribal age. He has been made LG through Constitutional provisions. He is acting like a tribal chieftain appointed by a big chieftain (bada sardar) to torment the people of a tribe and to make their lives difficult,” Sisodia said during the third day of the Delhi Assembly’s winter session.

The Assembly was discussing the issue of appointment of nominated members and the presiding officer of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), and members of the Hajj committee by Saxena, reported the Hindustan Times.

Sisodia said that if people believe in the Constitution, then they will have to agree that the municipal bodies and their matters are dealt by the state government, not by the Centre.

“This Assembly gives funds for local governance; it is clearly a ‘transferred subject’ and we are empowered to take decisions (regarding MCD). I would appeal to the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) members to make LG understand that local governance is a transferred subject,” he added pointing towards the Opposition benches.

He added that the LG did not have the power to appoint the 10 nominated members to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. He said: “It can only happen in a tribal system that a leader can declare that all rights belong to him. The Constitution says that the elected government will send the names. LG can express his difference of opinion, but he had no right to nominate these people.”

However, Vijender Gupta, leader of opposition, said as per the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, MCD does not come under the Delhi government, and it is an autonomous parallel municipal government.

“Similarly, LG has the power to appoint protem presiding officer. In case of presiding officer, the government had sent six names and the LG selected the most suitable candidate. AAP (Aam Aadmi Party) members broke mikes and damaged property in the MCD house meeting. The AAP should give assurance that they will not create ruckus in the next meeting on January 24,” he added.

-INDIA NEWS STREAM