Court rebukes AAP as Arvind Kejriwal refuses to resign as Delhi Chief Minister
The Delhi High Court on Friday came down heavily on Arvind Kejriwal for not resigning as the Chief Minister.
The court said that Arvind Kejriwal put personal interest over national interest by not resigning as Chief Minister after his arrest. The court hit out at the AAP-led Delhi government in Delhi, saying that it was “only interested in power”.
Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate last month in connection with Delhi liquor policy case. The court pulled up the Delhi government over non-availability of textbooks and uniforms for students enroled in government schools.
The court said that the Delhi government was least bothered about students not having books. “Your client is just interested in power. I don’t know how much power do you want,” the court said.
On last occasion, the High Court had said that there cannot be a vacuum and if the Standing Committee is not available for any reason, the financial power needs to be delegated forthwith to an appropriate authority by the GNCTD (Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi).
This was after the MCD Commissioner had pointed out that one of the major reasons for non- distribution of notebooks, stationery items, uniforms and school bags is ‘non-formation of Standing Committees’. He’d further stated that only the Standing Committee has the power and jurisdiction to award contracts worth more than five crores.
On Friday, the counsel for the Delhi government informed the court that he had received instructions from AAP minister Saurabh Bharadwaj that the consent of Chief Minister, who is presently in custody, would be needed for such delegation.
To this, the court said, “It’s your choice that you said government will continue despite the Chief Minister being in custody. You are forcing us to go down the road we did not want to go.”
The court also remarked that the Urban Development Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj has turned a blind eye to the plight of students and is “shedding crocodile tears”.
The Delhi government’s counsel, however, argued that the standing committee was not there since aldermen were appointed illegally by the Lieutenant Governor, and the case is pending before the Supreme Court.
While pointing out that the distribution of books is not the court’s job, the court remarked that they have to do this because “someone is failing in their job”.