Centre mulls Prez Rule in capital over CS row?

New Delhi: Terming the alleged assault of Delhi chief secretary Anshu Prakash a serious issue, the Union government is exploring all possibilities, including imposing ‘President’s Rule’ in the national capital.

Well placed sources said that any decision will be taken based on the findings of the investigation done by the Delhi police. Union home minister Rajnath Singh met Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari on Saturday, and discussed the situation that has arisen after the alleged assault of Mr Prakash.

Sources said that lieutenant-governor (L-G) Anil Baijal’s report clearly indicted two Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs and others present in the meeting for the alleged assault. He also supported the report with an MLC report, which establishes the allegations by the chief secretary.

“The lieutenant-governor mentioned in his report that there is complete mistrust among the legislative and executive wings in the national capital,” they added.

Taking a serious note of the L-G’s report, sources said that the Centre is exploring all possibilities, including imposing of the President’s Rule by dismissing the Kejriwal government.

“What happened at Mr Kejriwal’s residence on Monday night in not only unprecedented, it also created an atmosphere of fear among the bureaucrats. The government believes that no action taken in the matter will only send a wrong message among the bureaucrats and it will be difficult for any government to govern anywhere in the country. The Union government has decided to act on the incident as it is serious in nature,” they claimed. Any decision to impose the President’s Rule or other action will be based on the findings of the ongoing probe by the Delhi police. Sources, meanwhile, said that everyone present in the meeting, in which Mr Prakash was assaulted, might be interrogated for criminal conspiracy and intimidation, including Mr Kejriwal and deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia.  

The BJP leadership is also keeping a close eye on the situation in Delhi. BJP president Amit Shah, on Thursday, took stock of the situation and discussed it with Mr Tiwari. Union home minister Mr Singh and Mr Tiwari discussed the situation on Saturday. Meanwhile, Delhi lieutenant-governor Anil Baijal on Saturday briefed Union home minister Rajnath Singh on the tussle between AAP government and its bureaucracy in wake of the alleged assault on chief secretary Anshu Prakash, an official said.

During the 30-minute meeting, the L-G apprised the home minister on his interactions with the government’s bureaucrats, which complained about the alleged high-handedness of the MLAs, and a delegation of Delhi's ruling party, which conveyed to him about the non-attendance of officers in regular meetings, the home ministry official said. Mr Baijal briefed Mr Singh on the Delhi police action following the alleged assault, the official said.

This was for the first time that the L-G met the home minister after the incident on Monday night at Kejriwal’s residence, which has created a huge controversy. On Friday, Union minister of state for home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir had hinted that the Delhi chief minister may also be questioned by the police in this case.