AAP’s 21 parliamentary secretaries at risk of disqualification: Najeeb Jung

NEW DELHI: Delhi lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung on Monday said 21 Aam Aadmi Party MLAs who were made parliamentary secretaries by CM Arvind Kejriwal last year face the risk of disqualification as the "office of parliamentary secretary is defined as an office of profit if one looks at the statutes of Delhi". "As per the GNCT Act, Delhi can have one parliamentary secretary, attached to the office of chief minister," Jung said in a TV interview.

The LG offered his views when asked about the AAP government's decision last year appointing 21 MLAs as parliamentary secretaries and then moving a bill. Jung objected to the appointments and has sent a detailed report to the home ministry and the President. The matter is also being heard in Delhi High Court.

On regular differences with Kejriwal on constitutional issues and the latter's repeated accusations that Jung was acting as an agent of BJP and PM Narendra Modi, the LG quoted freedom fighter Ram Prasad Bismil, saying in a lighter vein, "Waqt aane par bata denge tujhe aye aasman, hum abhi se kya batayen kya teri mehfil me hai."

"I think he (Kejriwal) makes these statements for political reasons. There is a constituency out there which is attracted to this kind of statement. But in all honesty, he knows the truth and I know the truth... as does the central government," Jung said.

He said Kejriwal and his differences arose from different oaths of their offices and roles and they would continue to be so. "His (Kejriwal) oath to Constitution is different from where I stand as LG. His oath is to abide by the Constitution. My oath is to protect and defend the Constitution. The oath to abide by the Constitution gives him the latitude to interpret the Constitution in ways which he may be guided to do. My oath gives me no latitude to interpret the Constitution even by a comma. So, we have differences and we will continue to have differences," he said.

He added that differences between Delhi CMs and LGs have always been rocky since the post of CM came into existence in 1992. "But my relationship is not as sour (with the CM) as people think," Jung said, adding that they had been to each other's houses for meals. "I think he cares for me. I don't think there is anything personal between us. Let me put it this way that Arvind is not a friend of mine but I get along with him absolutely right," he said.

Asked about the future of this relationship, the former Jamia VC said philosophically, "Who knows who will be there for four years. Will I be there or he will be there. Que sera sera... let's see what happens."