NEW DELHI: The appointment of 15,000 guest teachers has become the latest reason for a political tug of war in Delhi. The Delhi assembly on Wednesday passed a bill to regularise the employment of around 5,000 guest teachers (working on contractual basis) in Delhi government-run schools even after Delhi LG Anil Baijal’s objection. The session also witnessed many one liners from Delhi chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. “I am an elected chief minister, not a terrorist,” Kejriwal said while lashing out at Lt Governor Anil Baijal who had asked Delhi government to reconsider its decision of passing the bill.
During a dramatic speech in the assembly, Kejriwal also hit out on Delhi bureaucrats and said the government is the masters of Delhi. “Hum Delhi ke maalik hai (we are Delhi's masters), not the bureaucracy, nation runs by democracy not by bureaucracy,” Kejriwal said followed by loud cheers and table thumping by the Aam Aadmi Party MLAs.
According to the party sources, now the ball is in Baijal’s court who has already suggested the government not to pass bill in the assembly claiming it unconstitutional. Baijal had said that matters relating to 'services' fall beyond the legislative competence of the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi and that the proposed legislation was not in accordance with the Constitutional scheme. “What state secrets do these files contain that they cannot be shown to us? I want to tell the LG that I am an elected CM of Delhi and not a terrorist. He (Sisodia) is an elected education minister, not a terrorist," Kejriwal said.
"The foundation of the Bill is flawed. One has to go by the rule of law, not rhetoric," leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta said, when "invited" by Kejriwal to sort out the issues and bring amendments by sitting across the table "in my chamber".
Reacting to Gupta's objection, Kejriwal said that through his offer of an instant dialogue, he wanted to expose the "hollowness" of the opposition.