Atishi snubbed, Delhi LG nominates Kailash Gahlot to hoist tricolour on I-Day

Delhi lieutenant governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Tuesday nominated the capital’s home minister Kailash Gahlot to hoist the national flag at the official Independence Day event at Chhatrasaal Stadium, officials at the Raj Niwas confirmed.

Earlier, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had requested that education minister Atishi be nominated to hoist the tricolour on August 15 in place of chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.

The choice that bypasses several other senior government leaders is likely to set a stage for another round of tussle between the AAP dispensation and the LG Secretariat.

“Lieutenant Governor is pleased to nominate Minister (Home), GNCTD, Kailash Gahlot to unfurl the National Flag at the State level Independence day celebrations at Chhatrasaal Stadium. Necessary arrangements may be made accordingly,” LG’s secretary Ashish Kundra said in a written communication to Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar.

Earlier in the day, the Delhi government’s general administration department refused to implement department minister Gopal Rai’s direction for the hosting of national flag by Education Minister Atishi.

The General Administration Department (GAD) said on Tuesday that chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is in jail in a corruption case, cannot authorise Atishi to do so on his behalf.

The GAD officer has also said the chief minister’s communication to Lt Governor V K Saxena on August 6 in this regard was “not permissible” according to the prison rules.

After the request to let her hoist the national flag was rejected by the LG’s office, Atishi took a veiled jibe at VK Saxena, referring to him as the “new viceroy” at a press conference today.

“Delhi’s elected government is being denied the right to unfurl the national flag … New Viceroy has come and he wants to unfurl the national flag … The Lieutenant Governor wants to unfurl the national flag on Independence Day. It is the right of the elected government to unfurl the national flag,” she said.

Earlier, Kejriwal wrote a letter to the Delhi LG saying that Atishi will be hoisting the tricolour on his behalf at the Independence Day event. However, the LG’s office denied receiving any such communication from the CM.