CS joins 1st meet with CM after alleged assault

New Delhi:  A week after an alleged assault on him by AAP MLAs, chief secretary Anshu Prakash on Tuesday attended a Cabinet meeting to finalise dates for the Delhi Assembly’s Budget Session, paving the way for dissipating the ongoing deadlock between the city government and the bureaucracy.

Hours before the meeting, Mr Prakash wrote to Mr Kejriwal, informing him that he would attend the meeting based on the assumption that the chief minister “will ensure that there is no physical attack and verbal assault on the officers.”

Meanwhile, chief minister’s adviser V.K. Jain, who was questioned by the police in connection with the alleged assault on Mr Prakash at Mr Kejriwal’s residence on February 19, went on a week’s medical leave.

“The chief minister’s adviser has gone on a week-long medical leave. He has not been attending office since the alleged assault on the chief secretary,” sources said.

Mr Jain disclosed during interrogation that he had seen MLAs Prakash Jarwal and Amanatullah Khan surrounding the chief secretary and assaulting him at the chief minister’s residence that night, the Delhi police told a court last week. However, Mr Jain had previously said that he had not seen anything as he had gone to the washroom at the time of the incident.

The Delhi Cabinet decided that the Budget Session of the Assembly would  be held from March 16-28.

“A meeting of the council of ministers has been scheduled (on Tuesday) to discuss important matters regarding finalisation of dates for the Budget Session of the Delhi Legislative Assembly,” wrote Mr Prakash, adding, “Finalising the dates of the Budget Session and passing of the Budget are important for the functioning of the government. So, along with the officers concerned, I will be attending the meeting.”

Mr Prakash said he hoped that proper decorum would be maintained and that the dignity of the officers would be protected during the meeting.

Notably, officers in the national capital, including those belonging to the IAS, Danics, and DASS cadre, are communicating with ministers only in writing since February 19.

A joint forum of Delhi government employees passed a resolution, saying officers associated with the Budget have attended the Cabinet meeting in the interest of the people. However, it has decided to continue only written communications with ministers and maintain five minutes of silence at 1.30 pm during lunch time every day till Mr Kejriwal and his deputy tender a written apology.