New Delhi: Delhi Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena on Tuesday wrote a stinging letter to former Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, blaming him for the current air pollution problem and describing him as a living example of the saying “Master of announcements and execution of none”.
The L-G also hit out at the AAP’s “petty politics” and “propaganda war” aimed at bogging down the current Delhi government, which is trying to find a solution to all legacy problems in the city.
Accusing Kejriwal of stalling Metro Phase-IV, Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) and induction of e-buses – measures that could have improved public transport and reduced air pollution, Saxena said, “Had you worked in coordination, rather than confrontation, with neighbouring states and the Union government, Delhi would not be facing this air pollution disaster today. Unfortunately, you have done nothing of that sort for Delhi.”
Citing a 2002 conversation with Kejriwal, the L-G said he clearly remembers the former’s careless comment that we should “ignore the pollution issue as it is a 15-20 day phenomenon which is raised by the media, activists and courts, only to forget it after some time”.
The L-G also castigated Kejriwal and AAP leaders for petty politics and not learning from the crushing electoral defeat in February.
“Ever since you lost the election, you and your party have been acting as adversaries, not opposition. Your achievements during your 11-year tenure are no secret. Delhi’s dilapidated roads, dilapidated streets, lanes, and neighbourhoods filled with sewage, silt-filled drains, three mountains of garbage, and polluted air have become a clear testimony and hallmark of your failures,” wrote the L-G in Hindi.
Listing several current problems in the city’s civic infrastructure – including Yamuna pollution, drinking water network leakage and broken roads and footpaths – linked to the AAP government’s failure, Saxena also hit out at Kejriwal for doing nothing for the city but focusing on publicity during his 11-year rule.
“You have set an amazing example of running a government based on announcements, advertisements, Twitter posts, and newspaper reports, without achieving any significant progress for 11 years,” he wrote.
Saxena also said that the Kejriwal government systematically destroyed the ideals and norms of politics, the Constitution and democratic decorum. “Kejriwal, to evade accountability, never put his signature on any file,” said the L-G.
The L-G also criticised the Kejriwal government’s decision to discontinue the practice of holding weekly Cabinet meetings.
The 15-page letter sent to Kejriwal by the Lok Niwas also noted that the AAP leader and his colleagues abused the L-G whenever he tried to work for the benefit of citizens.
Saxena also noted that the issues raised in the letter could have been conveyed to Kejriwal in person, but the latter never met him after the AAP lost in the Assembly election. The L-G also said that Kejriwal had blocked his phone number to cut all forms of communication.
(IANS)
