NEW DELHI: Contrary to chief minister Arvind Kejriwal‘s wish, uncertainty looms over who will hoist the national flag during the Delhi government‘s function on the occasion of Independence Day.
A few days back, CM Arvind Kejriwal had written a letter to Delhi LG VK Saxena from Tihar jail urging him to allow Atishi to hoist the flag at the function at Chhatrasal stadium.
However, the General Administration Department said on Tuesday that the letter does not qualify as a permissible communication.
“It is absolutely clear that the letter does not qualify as 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,” news agency ANI quoted additional chief secretary of the department as saying.
The department had sought convenience of the Kejriwal for his availability for the Independence Day function. The issue was brought to the notice of the higher authorities and the decision is awaited. General administration along with all concerned departments are making all arrangements for the function at Chhatrasal Stadium as per past practice, the department said in a statement.
Later, former deputy CM Manish Sisodia also joined the tug-of-war saying that the flag should be hoisted either by the CM or the minister of the elected government.
“The flag should be hoisted by the CM or Minister of an elected government. I don’t think there is any problem in this. However, it would be wrong to expect about democracy, Constitution from the LG. We can only expect dictatorship from them and that they are doing,” news agency PTI quoted Sisodia as saying.
Notably, AAP minister Gopal Rai had on Monday instructed the GAD to arrange for his cabinet colleague Atishi to hoist the national flag on Independence Day.
Rai said that the directive was issued as Kejriwal had requested that she should take over the flag-hoisting at Chhatrasal Stadium on August 15.