Delhi Congress seeks action against 62 more advisers

New Delhi: Launching a scathing attack on the BJP-led central government over canceling the appointments of nine advisers in the AAP government, Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) president Ajay Maken on Wednesday questioned the Centre for not acting against the remaining 62 other advisers whose appointments were termed illegal by the Shanglu Committee, appointed to investigate the decisions and schemes of the Delhi government.

Following the clarification over the appointments by the Union home ministry, the AAP government’s general administration department had cancelled the appointments of  deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia’s advisers  Atishi Marlena and Raghav Chaddha, his media advisor Arunoday Prakash; law minister Kailash Gahlot’s media advisor Amar Deep Tiwari; power, health and PWD minister Satyendra Jain’s consultants Prashant Saxena and Samir Malhotra, his aide-de-camp Rajat Tiwari, his OSD Brigadier (retired) Dinkar Adeeb and GAD Minister Gopal  Rai’s advisor Ram Kumar Jha.

The Union home  ministry had termed these appointments illegal in the absence of prior sanction from the Centre.

Mr Maken said that of the nine advisers, four had already left the government. He claimed that Ms Marlena, who was drawing a token amount of '1 as monthly salary,  and Mr Chaddha, who had left the government long ago, would try to take undue benefit as they were the AAP’s prospective candidates for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Mr Maken said he was surprised why no action had been taken against health minister Satyendra Jain’s daughter Saumya, who was appointed as an advisor to mission director, Delhi State Health Mission, in clear violation of rules. He said one Rahul Basin, who had passed Class 12 was drawing a huge salary, thanks to the AAP government.

This apart, Mr Maken said chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s advisor Gopal Mohan who was appointed on an honorarium of '1 per month,  was  today drawing a monthly salary of '1.5 lakh. He questioned why these illegalities were not exposed by the MHA. He said the Centre was also silent over Dr Nikunj Aggarwal, Mr Kejriwal’s close relative, against whom the Shunglu Committee had given adverse findings.

He said that the government shouldn’t take action against only selective people.