New Delhi: Former Delhi Deputy CM, Manish Sisodia, who recently got bail in the Excise Policy Scam case reacted to the denial of permission by the General Administration Department to Delhi Minister Atishi to hoist the flag on Independence Day. He called the entire incident “petty politics”. Earlier Gopal Rai through a letter written by jailed Delhi CM, Arvind Kejriwal had requested permission for the AAP leader to be permitted to hoist the flag, this Independence Day.
Response of General Administration Department
In response to Gopal Rai’s letter, the Additional Chief Secretary of General Administration Department had written in a letter to the Delhi government, “It is absolutely clear that the above communication (Minister Letter) does not qualify in the permissible communication which can be sent outside prison. Any communication, written or oral, in contravention of the rules quoted above, is not legally valid and therefore cannot be acted upon.”
He however clarified that the department had sought the availability of the CM for the function. He said that the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) had indicated that the CM will not be available for the function as he was in judicial custody. The higher authorities have been informed about the incident and a decision is awaited in this regard, he added. He said that all necessary arrangements are being made by the GAD for the Independence Day function at Chhatrasal Stadium.
Gopal Rai’s letter
The Minister of General Administration in the Delhi government, GopalRai had written a letter to the Assistant Chief Secretary regarding the matter of flag hoisting on Independence Day, in absence of the CM. He wrote, “I had a meeting with the Chief Minister today. He desires that Minister Atishi should hoist the flag on 15th August 2024, at the Chhatrasal Stadium event, in his place. All the necessary arrangements be made accordingly.”
Following the denial of permission by the GAD, AAP leader Manish Sisodia said that it was very unfortunate that on such a sacred occasion like Independence Day, petty politics was being played. Chastising the Delhi LG, he said that when conman Sukesh writes a letter to him from Tihar jail, the LG takes action on it and the letter is submitted to him personally by the jail officials. But when an elected CM (read Kejriwal) writes a letter, the LG does not allow the jail officials to bring it to him and refuses to act upon the same. He said that it seems that the LG office has nothing to do with Independence Day.
