Once again a row has erupted between Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal over the protesting farmers, sitting at the borders of Delhi.
Reacting to the Lt Gov’s decision of dismissing a panel of lawyers picked by the Delhi govt for cases against the farmers protesting against three contentiously formed laws, Arvind Kejriwal said it was “an insult to the people of Delhi.”
Taking it to his Twitter handle, AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal wrote, “Overturning decisions taken by the cabinet is an insult to the people of Delhi. The people of Delhi chose the AAP government with a historic majority and defeated the BJP. Let BJP run the country, let AAP run Delhi. Such interference in everyday work is an insult to the people of Delhi. BJP should respect democracy.”
Notably, Lt Gov Baijal has approved a team constituted by the Delhi Police, which reports to the BJP-led government at the Centre, said Deputy CM Manish Sisodia after Baijal rejected the panel of lawyers.
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Earlier this week, Kejriwal’s cabinet had decided that lawyers picked by the Delhi government would become public prosecutors of the Delhi Police in the cases filed against the farmers in connection with the January 26 violence and vandalism, when farmers organized a tractor rally to Delhi on the unmarked routes.
However, Mr. Anil Baijal rejected the decision of the Delhi cabinet and approved the panel of Delhi Police.
In a letter to the Delhi government, the Lieutenant Governor said that the matter had been referred to President Ram Nath Kovind, but since it is an urgent matter, exercising his powers, 11 lawyers named by the Delhi Police were appointed as public prosecutors in the cases.
"I want to ask what is the interest of the centre in choosing lawyers? If they have to choose the lawyers also, what is the point of the elected government of Delhi?" Mr. Sisodia said.