‘Deep nexus’ between officers, ration mafia: CM Kejriwal

New Delhi: Attacking Delhi government's bureaucrats, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tursday alleged that some officers were in a “deep nexus” with ration mafia, while his deputy Manish Sisodia wondered why lieutenant-governor Anil Baijal was “protecting” black marketeers.

The accusations came after the AAP government postponed a Cabinet meeting, where, Mr Sisodia said, chief secretary Anshu Prakash “failed” to bring a note on its ambitious doorstep delivery of ration proposal.Both Mr Kejriwal and Mr Sisodia's remarks came at a time when the AAP dispensation and the bureaucrats have been at loggerheads since the alleged assault on Prakash by some Aam Aadmi Party MLAs at the chief minister's residence on February 19.

“Nexus betn some bureaucrats n ration mafia is v deep. Many politicians from opposition parties are beneficiaries thro these bureaucrats. Thats the reason for stiff resistance to doorstep delivery of rations (sic),” Mr Kejriwal tweeted.

He, however, said his government was committed to “root out corruption” in the public distribution system and implement doorstep delivery of rations despite resistance from bureaucracy and opposition parties.

Addressing a press conference, Mr Sisodia, flanked by food and civil supplies minister Imran Hussain, demanded a probe into the alleged nexus between officers and ration mafia.

Miffed at the chief secretary, Mr Sisodia said Mr Prakash was asked to bring a proposal to the Cabinet meeting on February 27, but he did not do so and he again “failed” to bring the same to Thursday’s Cabinet meeting as well.

He alleged that senior officers were trying to stop the government’s efforts to introduce doorstep delivery of ration and questioned why Mr Prakash has sent the food commissioner on leave despite the fact that people were facing problems.

“Before we came to politics, Arvind Kejriwal, the Aam Aadmi Party, and I were fighting against the ration mafia in Delhi. That ration mafia is still operating here. Our plan was to ease the process by which poor residents of Delhi get their rations. They have to stand in line for hours and face corrupt ration dealers, who are part of this ration mafia. To stop this, we had decided to start the doorstep delivery of ration for people,” Mr Sisodia said.

He said that the chief minister has directed Prakash to come out with a note on the doorstep delivery of ration to the next Cabinet meeting on March 6.