The Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday charged Arvind Kejriwal with running a remote control government in Delhi.
This comes after Atishi took charge as Delhi CM on Monday and in an emotional gesture, placed an empty chair beside the CM chair and said, “Today I have taken over the responsibility of the CM of Delhi. I have the same pain in my heart that Bharat had when his elder brother Lord Ram went on a 14-year exile, and Bharat had to take over the governance of Ayodhya”.
“Just like Bharat ruled Ayodhya for 14 years by keeping Lord Ram’s ‘khadaun’, I will run the government of Delhi for 4 months,” she remarked.
This however sparked a controversy and Delhi BJP alleged Atishi of demeaning the CM chair.
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva alleged that placing two chairs at the Chief Minister’s desk is a violation of constitutional protocol, administrative rules, and an insult to the office of the Chief Minister.
He further added, “Atishi should understand that this is not adherence to any ideal; in plain and simple terms, it is flattery”.
“Through this action, the CM has not only disrespected the dignity of the Chief Minister’s office but also hurt the sentiments of the people of Delhi,” he said.
Echoing similar sentiments, BJP MP Manoj Tiwari, while talking to a news agency, said, “Atishi has taken oath as the Delhi Chief Minister and if she shows an empty chair, this raises many questions”.
He said that this signifies that rather than considering herself the Chief Minister, she considers someone else as the CM.
“This amounts to showing disrespect to the CM’s post and constitution. I have written a letter to Delhi CM Atishi, Who will read my letter, how can a chief minister say that she is a puppet,” Tiwari alleged.
Further, he claimed that the AAP people are hurting the sentiments of the public and they are answerable to the public for such acts.