L-G Saxena slams Kejriwal, AAP govt for ignoring Delhiites’ problems

New Delhi, Dec 23 (IANS) On a day when former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal thanked Delhi Lt Governor V.K. Saxena for highlighting civic shortcomings in Rangpuri Pahari area in south Delhi, the latter exposed his gimmick by reminding him not to try and take credit for the remedial action ordered in the area by Raj Niwas.

A day after Saxena flagged miserable civic conditions in south Delhi’s colony, the L-G wrote to Kejriwal in response to his post on Monday on X, saying that though “belatedly you have finally woken up and acknowledged the civic mess in the city”.

Kejriwal had thanked the L-G for highlighting the problem in Rangpuri and assured that “our team” would take remedial action.

In his letter in Hindi, the L-G said: “The ‘our team’ you have mentioned in today’s post on ‘X’ is the same officer/department who accompanied me on the tour of Rangpuri and Kapashera on December 21,2024 and to whom I had requested for solution of the problems.”

In a stinging criticism of the AAP convenor ahead of Assembly elections, the L-G said: “You will recall that on many occasions during the last two and a half years, either in writing or in personal discussions, I have drawn your attention to the many grave problems of Delhi and Delhiites and requested you to resolve them. Some of those issues were pollution in the Yamuna, cleaning of the Najafgarh drain, desilting of sewer lines, dilapidated condition of roads, water shortage, delay in construction of hospitals and air pollution.”

Blasting the AAP government for failure on multiple fronts, the L-G said: “I would have been happy if you had paid attention to those Delhi government schools as well, where students of two classes are taught by ghost teachers in the same room with their backs to each other, taken cognizance of those mohalla clinics, where the condition is pathetic and doctors write tests of ghost patients without coming to the clinic, improved those government hospitals where medicines are not available, there is a pile of garbage and doctors are absent, and solved the problems of those poor people who are getting bills of thousands of rupees for water and electricity.”

Slamming Kejriwal for not visiting city neighbourhoods to review amenities, the L-G said: “You have failed to pay heed to my suggestions to step out and take a first-hand view of the state of civic amenities but to no avail.”

Saxena also took umbrage to Kejriwal sending “temporary Chief Minister” Atishi to the colony instead of going there himself.

“Anyway, it is a matter of joy that now you have started taking cognizance of your responsibilities and even after ten years, you have started seeing the worsening condition of Delhi and the plight and helplessness of the people. I assure you that I will continue to draw your attention to these issues in future as well,” said the L-G.

Earlier in the day, the L-G sanctioned the suspension from service for two senior officials of Delhi government’s fire safety department – Ved Pal and Udai Vir Singh – over the death due to drowning in the basement of Old Rajendra Nagar-based coaching centre in July.

–IANS

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