The delay in expansion of the Delhi government’s mohalla clinics project led to a six-hour stand-off between Aam Aadmi Party MLAs and Lieutenant-Governor Anil Baijal on Wednesday, with the legislators refusing to leave Mr. Baijal’s secretariat till the issue was resolved.
A key programme of the AAP government, the Aam Aadmi mohalla Clinics project has come to a halt due to the lack of land and clearances for the construction. In fact, the Delhi government’s Public Works Department has started foreclosing contracts for construction of clinics after being unable to provide land, as reported by The Hindu on Wednesday.
On Wednesday afternoon, a delegation of over 40 AAP legislators, led by Greater Kailash MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj, went to the L-G house to ask for Mr. Baijal’s approval for the project. In a statement the Raj Niwas said that Mr. Bhardwaj had been given an appointment for 2.30 p.m. and was expected to be accompanied by four other MLAs. Though Mr. Baijal had court hearings scheduled for 3 p.m., he met with the delegation of MLAs till 2.50 p.m., the statement added.
‘Rude behaviour’
According to the Raj Niwas statement, Mr. Baijal heard the MLAs’ concerns and told them that the file pertaining to the project had been returned to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on July 5, with a request to address the complaints of irregularities in the project. The allegations in multiple complaints received by the L-G revolved around lack of transparent method to select premises for the clinics, higher than market rent for rented premises, properties of AAP workers being rented, among others.
“Unfortunately, the behaviour of the members (MLAs) increasingly became extremely rude and discourteous,” said the statement, adding that the MLAs continued to behave in a “belligerent manner” without any interest in responding to “facts and logic”.
This, according to the Raj Niwas, followed the L-G speaking to Mr. Kejriwal with a view to resolve the matter. Mr. Baijal said a decision could be taken only after a “proper proposal” was submitted by the Health Minister.
“Laying siege to the office of a constitutional functionary is no way to resolve issues in a democratic system based on rule of law,” the statement said.
‘3.23-minute meet’
On the other hand, Mr. Bhardwaj said that the L-G spent “3 minutes 23 seconds” talking to the MLAs before leaving.
“We were told that the files are with the Chief Minister and his Ministers. But on speaking with them, we found out the files are with the Vigilance Department, which is directly under the L-G. It has been pending for months,” said Mr. Bhardwaj.
He said that the MLAs had gone to meet Mr. Baijal hoping to sit across the table with all the officials and files pertaining to the matter in order to resolve it once and for all.
“The Chief Minister also said that he was ready to come with the ministers and sort out the matter. But, the L-G did not agree. We sat there for six hours. We were not offered tea or anything to eat. One of our MLAs, Sarita Singh, is in the last stage of pregnancy and she was also not given anything to eat,” said Mr. Bhardwaj.
‘Vague complaints’
While the MLAs waited in a conference hall at the L-G Secretariat, Mr. Kejriwal tweeted saying that there should be “no politics” over the project. Later, the CM’s office said in a statement that the Vigilance Department had refused to share the file regarding irregularities with the Minister concerned, Manish Sisodia, saying that it was for the L-G alone.
“Further, the objections raised by the Vigilance Department on frivolous complaints filed by political rivals with a malicious intent are vague and don’t point to anything specific,” said the statement, referring to the complaints by the BJP and the Congress.
The stand-off came to an end after about six hours, with the L-G and CM’s offices agreeing to a meeting on Thursday at 5 p.m. to resolve the issue.