LG chooses Delhi minister Kailash Gehlot to hoist the national flag on August 15

New Delhi: Home Minister Kailash Gahlot will be the chief guest at New Delhi The simmering tussle between elected government and lieutenant governor was on Tuesday defused with Lt Governor Anil Baijal agreeing to attend Independence Day celebrations of the city state as Home minister‘s invitee for hoisting the national tricolour at Chhatrasal Stadium.

Lt Governor VK Saxena then accepted to invite Gehlot obviating the AAP government’s demand that Education Minister Atishi be allowed hoist tricolor in absence of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Once the national flag is raised, Delhi Police will take care of the march past parade while all matters pertaining to police have been assigned to Home Department as per Business Rules, 1993.

The AAP said it had welcomed the decision of the lieutenant governor and that he has upheld principles of democracy by opting for an elected representative instead of appointed one.

Earlier, the General Administration Department had directed Atishi to hoist the flag at Chief Minister’s home which Gopal Rai declined saying it was legally illegal. AAP, on its part had announced on August 6 that Saxena has written to Kejriwal urging him to allow Atishi the right of hoisting the flag. A few weeks ago, LG’s office said it outrightly refused to entertain such a communication. However, the superintendent of Tihar Jail later said that notice was not issued for violation of jail rules. Rai met Kejriwal in jail on Monday and directed Gad to arrange fireworks too, along with the hoisting of national flag.

Reacting to the letter, Additional Chief Secretary of GAD said that as per Delhi Jail Rules, 2018 no orders can be issued by CM outside jail. A communication which is not in conformity with the above norms and shall be treated as nullity, responded a senior government official to him. The threat has been given to the seniors, he added and they are about to take a decision on it. This has lead to great response from outside and also within the AAP. It is very unfortunate that the elected government was not allowed to hoist the flag.” He alleges that after the letter received from jail of fake economic criminal Sukesh Chandrashekhar to LG, an investigation was ordered by the LG and action but elected CM’s letter was stopped.

Nirmala Sitaraman said it was correct while Atishi herself called this development as new British rule, an offence to the democratic rights of elected government.

The LG’s secretariat had sought an explanation from the Union Home Ministry on Friday why Delhi Chief Minister is missing, raising quite unusual circumstances as Center and states are empowered to issue guidelines for Independence Day. He added that the LG has been authorised by the ministry to select such a minister to unfurl the flag.

LG in a note to Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar on Tuesday, said the Principal. Gehlot has been nominated by The Lt Governor to hoist the National Flag on state level Independence Day programme at Chhatrasal Stadium ” In addition, necessary arrangements may be made accordingly. Atishi too has endorsed it and given a call to hoist the flag. The Party stated, “We welcome the decision of Delhi Home Minister Kailash Gehlot to hoist flag on August 15. This decision honours our democratic governance principle by choosing an elected, versus appointed or nominated representative. Underlines the significance of public order