Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor, VK Saxena, launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of failing to address the city’s worsening civic conditions, holding them directly responsible for Delhi’s escalating pollution crisis, deteriorating healthcare services, and failing public infrastructure. The letter comes as a searing rebuke to Kejriwal’s recent appeal for feedback on Delhi’s civic issues, where the Chief Minister promised to address any shortcomings. However, Saxena’s response points a finger directly at the AAP government’s decade-long negligence.
In a letter that reads as a litany of accusations and sharp criticisms, the LG laid bare the failures of Kejriwal’s administration, accusing the Chief Minister of turning a blind eye to critical issues that have long plagued the city. Saxena’s letter was sent in response to Kejriwal’s appeal where he asked for guidance on areas needing improvement, offering to address any deficiencies identified. The LG’s reply, however, was a brutal condemnation, revealing the depth of the issues that continue to fester in the capital.
One of the most damning accusations from the LG was aimed directly at Kejriwal’s interference with the cleanup of the Yamuna river. Saxena pointed out that this year, the Yamuna has reached unprecedented levels of pollution, a situation that has worsened due to Kejriwal’s decision to file a petition in the Supreme Court that halted ongoing cleaning efforts. “If you don’t mind, I will personally hold you responsible for this,” Saxena stated, making it clear that the pollution crisis in one of India’s most important rivers was a direct consequence of Kejriwal’s inaction.
This statement from the LG hits hard at Kejriwal, who has frequently touted his administration’s efforts to clean up the Yamuna. The LG’s words are a sharp rebuke of the Delhi government’s apparent failure to take meaningful action on this critical environmental issue.
Saxena did not hold back in criticising the AAP government’s failure to address the crumbling civic amenities in Delhi. From overflowing garbage to the lack of essential services like healthcare, Saxena’s letter painted a grim picture of the capital. He lambasted Kejriwal for his failure to take personal responsibility for assessing critical areas such as Rangpuri and Kapashera. Despite Saxena’s repeated requests, Kejriwal sent his deputy Atishi to inspect these areas, rather than stepping in himself. Saxena pointed out that this marked yet another example of Kejriwal’s lack of initiative when it comes to confronting the city’s issues head-on.
“Thankfully, even after 10 years, your eyes have opened to the misery and hellish civic amenities in Delhi,” Saxena wrote, sharply criticising Kejriwal for his delayed recognition of the city’s rapidly declining conditions. The letter also mentioned several underdeveloped areas like Kiradi, Burari, Sangam Vihar, Gokulpuri, and others where the condition of roads, sanitation, and infrastructure is in complete disrepair.
Further in his letter, Saxena took aim at the health sector, specifically calling out the state of Delhi government schools, mohalla clinics, and public hospitals. He accused Kejriwal’s government of neglecting these key areas, where the people most in need of help were being abandoned.
Saxena criticised the condition of mohalla clinics, claiming that these centers were often in dilapidated conditions, with ghost patients being prescribed unnecessary tests, all while doctors failed to show up. He also pointed out that many government hospitals were plagued by shortages of medicines, dirt piling up on the premises, and a lack of doctors. “I would have been happy if you had paid attention to those Delhi government schools where students of two classes are taught by ghost teachers,” Saxena wrote, further highlighting the dismal state of the city’s public services.
Perhaps most poignantly, Saxena highlighted the extreme utility bills that Delhi’s poor are burdened with, particularly in the areas of water and electricity. Despite the promises made by Kejriwal and the AAP, these essential services have continued to fail the city’s most vulnerable citizens. Saxena’s letter underlined the ongoing problem of exorbitant bills that residents in underprivileged areas are forced to endure, with no solutions or relief in sight.
In his response, Saxena also reminded Kejriwal of the repeated requests and appeals made over the past two and a half years, urging the Chief Minister to take action on matters like pollution, water shortage, road conditions, and air quality, yet Kejriwal’s government had failed to make any significant headway on these issues. The LG’s letter pointed to a glaring lack of leadership and responsibility on the part of Kejriwal’s administration.
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