New Delhi: Delhi minister and the chief spokesperson of AAP, Saurabh Bhardwaj, on Wednesday alleged that the BJP-led central government stalled government recruitments in the national capital for the last nine years.
Saurabh Bhardwaj’s reaction came after Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Wednesday handed over appointment letters to approximately 1,500 Delhi government employees.
In a press statement, Bhardwaj said, “The Central government has been exercising unethical and unwarranted control over the Delhi Services Department, resulting in the stalling of all kinds of government recruitment in Delhi. The officers of the Services Department have on several occasions straight up refused to place on record the number of vacant posts despite multiple requests by Delhi Vidhan Sabha citing the control of Central Govt on the department.”
He further questioned the Centre’s motives, saying, “Why did the Central Government deliberately keep state government posts vacant for so many years?”
The minister also alleged that the BJP had falsely accused the Arvind Kejriwal-led government of delaying the recruitment of principals and teachers when the responsibility lay with the Central Government.
“I learnt through news reports that the LG had distributed appointment letters to some people at a function today. While giving the appointment letter, the LG said that it was only possible to give these jobs in the last couple of months. He also claimed that in the last few years, these vacancies had been piling up. It was strange to see the LG pointing fingers towards the Central Government regarding the delay in these appointments,” the Bhardwaj said further in his statement.
He added that everyone in the country is aware of job appointments in Delhi, transfer of government officers or taking actions against errant officers, all of this comes under the central government. “Since the LG is appointed by the Central Government, by default, this task comes under his own office,” he said.
“When today the LG pointed out that 35,000 posts had been lying vacant, he was essentially blaming the Central Government for the delay in filling up these posts. He should answer why there was a delay in filling up these vacancies. It was the citizens of Delhi who suffered because of the delay in filling up these posts,” the minister added.
Pointing out the vacancy in filling up the posts in the Fire department, he noted, “If there is a fire somewhere in Delhi and if the response of the Fire Department is delayed because of lack of staff, isn’t this a fault of the Central Government? If 325 Principals of Government schools have been appointed today in Delhi, then the question arises as to why these posts were left vacant for so long.”
He hit out at the BJP further, saying, “Before every election in Delhi, and even before the Punjab state polls last year, the leaders and spokespersons of the BJP went around blaming Arvind Kejriwal for the number of vacancies when it came to the posts of principal in the government schools of Delhi.”
He added, “The LG today has gone on to expose the Central Government and the BJP on this issue, and also made it clear that what the AAP had been claiming until now was absolutely correct. We had said earlier also that it was a part of the conspiracy of the BJP to not fill up these posts.”
“If the posts of teachers in government schools or doctors in the government hospitals are lying vacant, then it was a ploy of the BJP to keep it like that. If it is the people of Delhi who are suffering due to thousands of vacancies for the posts of nursing staff and compounders in the government hospitals of Delhi, then it is the Central Government that is to be blamed for it,” he said.
“The LG has to take the blame for this and inform the citizens of Delhi why they were made to suffer for so long. Over the years, I have personally asked several questions regarding the number of vacancies in the various departments of the state government in the Vidhan Sabha, but no reply was provided by the LG Office. Questions asked related to this matter by other MLAs in the Vidhan Sabha were also ignored.” Bhardwaj concluded.
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