Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal assured safety to IAS officers just hours after the IAS Officers Association expressed concerns about their safety at a press conference held in New Delhi.
“I am told that IAS Officers Association has expressed concerns about their safety in a press conference today. I wish to assure them that I will ensure their safety with all powers and resources available at my command. It is my duty,” the AAP chief said in a statement.
“I have given similar assurances earlier also to many officers who have been meeting me privately. I reiterate it today,” he added.
Kejriwal again requested the officers to end their “undeclared strike” and resume duties for the continuation of governmental work.
“The officers are a part of my family. I would urge them to stop their boycott of elected govt, return to work now and start attending meetings of Ministers, respond to their calls and messages and join the, for field inspections,” he said.
“They should work without fear or pressure. They should not come under any pressures from any sources, whether state govt or central govt or any political party,” he added.
Earlier today, the IAS officers countered the accusations levelled at the bureaucrats by the ruling AAP government in Delhi.
Speaking to reporters, IAS association’s Manisha Saxena said that the officers are not on strike as is being alleged by the government.
“The information that IAS officers in Delhi are on strike is completely false and baseless. We are attending meetings and all departments are doing their works. We are sometimes also working on holidays,” she said.
“Let us do our work. We are feeling frightened and victimised. We are being used for completely political reasons,” said Varsha Joshi, another member of the IAS Association.
Read More: IAS body hits back at Delhi govt, members say they feel ‘threatened’ as AAP holds protest
Members of the Association said that the officers “feel threatened” under the current atmosphere created by the AAP leadership. Their statement came even as AAP supporters and leaders took out a protest march in the national capital. CPI-M leaders, too, joined them in the protests.