"Never been abusive with Kejriwal": Delhi L-G office

NEW DELHI: Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena in his communication with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has never been "abusive", said a statement from Raj Niwas on Wednesday. "On the contrary, even in matters of extreme breach of propriety or blatant verbal misconduct on part of the CM, his ministers and members of AAP, the L-G has ignored and refrained from any comment. It may be noted that it took the Delhi High Court to reprimand and restrain them from being abusive towards the L-G," the statement said.

Even in matters of procedural impropriety, deliberate lapses and apparent misdemeanours in matters of governance affecting the people of Delhi, the LG has conveyed his views in writing, in a most dignified, proper and parliamentary language. His choice of words even in conveying his displeasure or non-concurrence over valid issues of concern to the people of Delhi has been more than civil and proper, the statement said. The L-G's office further said the way an issue is being tried to be manufactured with the help of pre-decided planted questions is unfortunate.

"This is obviously an attempt to deflect people's attention from real issues that have recently come to the fore and should be avoided by the Chief Minister. It will do the people of Delhi, a lot of good if the CM and his government followed the advice/directions given to CM by the L-G, in a fully constitutionally valid manner and in the unquestionably dignified, civil and proper language," added the Raj Niwas statement. Amid row over Delhi's excise policy, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said that Rs 4,000-5,000 crore was going to be generated from the policy, but there was a loss in revenue due to the intervention of Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena.

"Excise policy of AAP was supposed to generate revenue of Rs 4,000-5,000 crore but just two days before its implementation the L-G made many changes to it due to which 300-400 shops could not be opened. Their licence fees and revenue did not come. This is the reason behind less revenue," Kejriwal told mediapersons here. This came after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla slammed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over the RTI's new disclosures in the matter of the excise policy scam case.

Poonawalla alleged that the 'New Liquor Policy of AAP' caused a huge loss. He said that in 288 days, there has been a loss of Rs 2,000-2,300 crore. "AAP's New Liquor Policy caused a loss of almost Rs 2,000-2,300 crore. The previous liquor policy had earned Rs 768 crore in September alone which means nearly Rs 25 crore per day, while the new policy could earn Rs 5,036 crore in 7.5 months meaning Rs 14.4 crore a day," BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said underscoring that the new policy should have garnered profit instead of bearing a loss of Rs 8 crore per day.