Will you be able to run the central government even for a day if officers stop attending meetings: Kejriwal asks PM Narendra Modi

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) began its day with scathing attacks on Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government. While Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is on the fifth day of his sit-in-dharna inside the LG House, released a video message attacking the LG and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said it seems LG Baijal has kept CM Kejriwal under house arrest.

“PM [Modi], will you be able to run the Central government even for a day if officers stop attending meetings called by you?” Delhi CM asked PM Modi in the video message released this morning. He further questioned, “You can’t run government without officers, then why have you backed the strike by IAS officers in Delhi? Don’t trouble Delhiwallahs like this.”

CM Kejriwal, Dy CM Manish Sisodia, two AAP ministers – Satyendar Jain and Gopal Rai – are on a sit-in dharna inside the LG house ever since the evening of June 11. Jain and Sisodia are on hunger strike. They have demanded that LG Baijal ask IAS officers to end their “partial strike” and clear the proposal of homedelivery of ration. IAS officers have not been attending meetings called by AAP Cabinet ministers ever since Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash was allegedly assaulted inside the CM residence in February.

“On Sunday, we will march to Prime Minister’s house and will request him to ensure this strike ends,” Kejriwal said. “I expect that PM will relent to our request.” He further added that if PM Modi refuses to accept demands of the AAP government in Delhi then his party will start a massive signature campaign in the national capital. “AAP workers will reach out to 10 lakh families and get their signatures demanding full statehood for Delhi, end of IAS officers strike,” he said.