LG writes to CM Atishi

Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena wrote to Chief Minister Atishi on Saturday, saying that he has not yet received any proposal for reappointment of Civil Defense Volunteers (CDVs) who were removed as bus marshals last year. About 10,000 CDVs working as marshals in public transport buses in Delhi were terminated from their jobs in November last year after objections were raised by the revenue and finance departments. Meanwhile, the Delhi BJP has threatened to barricade Chief Minister Atishi if he does not send the proposal on rehiring CDVs.

“Of course, you and your party leaders can continue to do the policy of taking credit for their reintegration, but any further delay in the welfare of these economically weaker and helpless people is not fair in any way,” he said Saxena in the letter.

In a post on X, Raj Niwas said that the LG has again written to the Chief Minister pointing out the non-engagement of CDVs so far and requested their immediate renewal.

The LG also demanded that a concrete scheme be formulated by the government for their immediate and long-term engagement, it said. Saxena, in his letter to Atishi, alleged that his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders were indulging in “unwanted politics” on the issue, but “unfortunately, he has not received any proposal from her so far “.

Citing his earlier communication to the Chief Minister on October 24, Saxena said he had ordered to ensure the renaming of CDVs from November 1 and sought a comprehensive proposal for their long-term commitment. He said he ordered the strengthening of CDVs to help the national capital combat air pollution.

“Delhi’s air pollution is at its peak and if these volunteers had been called in time, they would have certainly been helpful in addressing the situation besides benefiting themselves,” the LG said. He asked the chief minister to quickly address the matter and direct the officials to come up with a proposal for the reintegration of the volunteers.

Challenging the Atishi-led AAP government, South Delhi BJP MP Ramvir Singh Bidhuri said the AAP government has been exposed. “Despite directions from the LG, Chief Minister Atishi has not sent the proposal to re-hire the CDVs. They have time to address press conferences three or four times a day to get media coverage. But they don’t have time to prepare a proposal on CDVs,” he added. Bidhuri said that all these AAP leaders know that these volunteers lost their jobs in October 2023 due to the then Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s decision. Bidhuri said what could be more unfortunate than this is that the Lt. Governor has to remind the Delhi government that they are involved in the credit policy and could not send the proposal till now.

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said the Kejriwal-Atishi government has no intention of reinstating these volunteers and even if a proposal is made today, if “AAP” comes back to power, they will sack them again in March.

Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav said the Aam Aadmi Party government has shed crocodile tears for Civil Defense Volunteers (CDVs)/Bus Marshals. Yadav said AAP legislators created a hue and cry during the two-day session of the Delhi Assembly last month by raising the issue of marshals and even passing a joint resolution demanding reinstatement of marshals, who were sacked by Kejriwal. Government. He said AAP ministers also created a big drama when Saurav Bharadwaj fell at the feet of Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta, asking him to accompany AAP leaders to meet the LG to take up the case of bus commissioners.