Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Monday said he was hurt by Chief Minister Atishi being called a "temporary and makeshift Chief Minister by AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal". In a letter to Atishi, Saxena described Kejriwal's statement as both a personal insult and an affront to the constitutional office he represents.
He criticised Kejriwal for his choice of words, arguing that such statements undermined democratic values and the dignity inherent in the office of the Chief Minister. He said there was no such post in the Constitution and that it went against the idea of democracy in "the Constitution of Babasaheb Ambedkar".
"I found this very objectionable and I was hurt by it. It was not only an insult to you, but also to your appointee, the President of India and to me as her representative. As a Lieutenant Governor, I am concerned about this level of public discourse and at the same time, I am hurt by the conversation of presenting the full-time Chief Minister of my government as a temporary Chief Minister," Saxena said in the letter.
"The statements by Kejriwal reflected poorly on the stability and integrity of the Delhi government, casting a shadow over its democratic practices," he added.
Saxena highlighted several issues concerning previous governance, specifically pointing out warnings issued by Delhi government departments regarding schemes promoted by Kejriwal that were reportedly non-existent. He argued that such baseless and misguiding claims have potential implications, thereby misleading the people and undermining trust in the governance system.
He also raised the issue wherein Kejriwal claimed that Atishi would be arrested in a fake case pertaining to the transport department, a charge denied by the department. The Lieutenant Governor voiced his disappointment over the negative portrayal of Atishi, stressing that such negative narratives could have adverse effects on her role as a full-time Chief Minister. Saxena praised Atishi for her work as the Chief Minister and holding several portfolios unlike Kejriwal, who neither held a single department "nor signed files during his tenure".
Atishi became the Chief Minister on September 21, becoming the youngest woman to hold the post after Kejriwal resigned following his imprisonment in the Delhi liquor policy case. Kejriwal resigned after he walked out of Tihar Jail after five months.
When Kejriwal was in jail, Atishi became the face of AAP and prominently outlined her party's positions in press conferences.
Assembly polls are due to be held in Delhi in February 2025.
