NEW DELHI: The termination of Civil Defence Volunteers, appointed as marshals in DTC buses, is the latest flashpoint between the Kejriwal-led AAP government and L-G VK Saxena. Both sides blame each other for the move. The L-G directed the chief minister to consider recruiting the volunteers to be terminated as home guards.
Kejriwal on Friday asked Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot to “appoint” home guards as bus marshals due to a “legal objection” that disallows them to be hired in regular duties and binds them to be called only during disaster events.
However, the CM also said that he has suggested to the L-G that CDVs be allowed to continue as bus marshals until an adequate number of home guards replace them. He also called for developing a plan to appoint the CDVs “only” as home guards but they should also be allowed to continue as bus marshals.
While the order from the CM did not mention the termination, it also did not clarify how the home guards will be appointed as bus marshals if the CDVs were not removed and allowed to continue in the job. Meanwhile, the L-G House issued a note saying that Kejriwal’s proposal to terminate the services of all CDVs has been accepted and that the decision would come into effect from November 1.
However, the note showed the L-G suggested the Delhi CM appoint those CDVs losing their job as home guards, about 10,000 positions of whom Saxena approved recently. The LG also reportedly flagged the issue of the CDVs not getting their salary for more than six months and expressed dissatisfaction over the fact the relevant file was sent to him even though the minister and the chief minister were fully competent to decide on it, sources said.
Soon after the L-G House put out a note, AAP warned that it would take up the matter with the Supreme Court if the termination came into effect. Officials from the L-G house, however, said the move was in fact, proposed by Kejriwal in a file sent to the L-G secretariat on October 20. Both sides thus are passing the buck for issuing the termination of the CDVs.
Official sources said the move was first proposed by the city government after it received a legal objection over engaging CDVs to do routine works of departments. The city government had proposed that all CDVs should be terminated till a correct legal position on their employment in government projects is ascertained.