The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government and Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, the LG has nominated Delhi Home Minister Kailash Gahlot to hoist the national flag on Independence Day. This decision comes just days after Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced that Education Minister Atishi would represent him at the ceremony.
Every year, the Delhi government’s General Administration Department (GAD) organises the Independence Day celebrations at Chhatrasal Stadium, where the Chief Minister traditionally unfurls the national flag. On August 6, Kejriwal, who is currently in jail after being arrested in the now-scrapped excise policy case, wrote to Saxena, stating that Atishi would unfurl the national flag in his place. The Tihar Jail administration, however, did not forward this letter to the LG’s office, leading AAP to release a copy to the media.
On August 9, Saxena’s office reached out to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) regarding the “current impasse” due to the Chief Minister’s unavailability. In a note issued on Tuesday, Principal Secretary to the LG, Ashish Kundra, stated that the MHA had authorised the LG to nominate any minister from the Delhi government for the occasion, resulting in Gahlot’s nomination.
Kundra’s note emphasised that the Delhi Police is responsible for the ceremonial march-past following the flag hoisting and that the minute-to-minute program for the Independence Day function is coordinated by the Delhi Police and Home Department.
In response to the LG’s decision, AAP welcomed the nomination, asserting that it honours democratic principles by selecting an elected representative over an appointed official. “This move reinforces the importance of the people’s mandate in our governance,” the party stated.
However, former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia criticised the situation, labelling it as “petty politics.” He expressed disappointment that such a significant occasion was being overshadowed by political manoeuvring, questioning why the Tihar Jail administration prioritises letters from individuals like conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar over communications from the elected Chief Minister.
Following a meeting with Kejriwal at Tihar Jail, GAD Minister Gopal Rai had directed preparations for Atishi to unfurl the flag. Yet, Additional Chief Secretary Navin Kumar Chaudhary responded that Kejriwal’s directive was “legally invalid” and could not be acted upon, citing rules against official communication from Tihar Jail.
Additionally, the Tihar Jail administration issued a warning to Kejriwal, stating that his privileges could be curtailed if he continued to engage in official correspondence, deeming it an “impermissible activity.”
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