Dengue Crisis: AAP Ministers at L-G's Gate With 'No Appointment'

New Delhi: The war between the Centre and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi over the handling of Chikungunya and Dengue outbreak has got uglier with Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung refusing to meet two ministers.

Two senior Delhi ministers, Kapil Mishra and Satyendra Jain, were not allowed inside the residence of Najeeb Jung when they went to meet him on Saturday morning. The LG’s office informed CNN-News18 that they had not taken an appointment, and that he could not meet them as it is a weekend.

An angry Kapil Mishra retorted saying there was no need of an appointment to discuss urgent matters like the outbreak of diseases.

Speaking to the media he said, "I would appeal to the Lieutenant Governor to skip his Saturday and Sunday offs and come to work. Our mohalla clinics also work on weekends this time. There is no weekend for us, we are all working".

Health Minister Satyendra Jain said he had spoken to LG Jung and had even sent a fax as well. "But he said that he would not want to talk about it," he said.

"Went to LG office. Asked on phone if anything urgent as he faxed ydy to recall DyCm. Ans: nothing urgent to discuss, no time to meet today," he added.

In a statement to the media, Jung's office strongly denied AAP's allegations. "Lt. Governor's office strongly rebuts charges levelled by Ministers Satyendra Jain and Kapil Mishra. Satyendra Jain and Kapil Mishra came to the Lt. Governor's office at 11.45 AM on 17th September without either seeking prior appointment from the Lt. Governor or intimating him of their visit," the statement said.

It further said, "The Lt. Governor's office came to know of their visit only through the media gathered outside, who had prior intimation that they were going to visit the Lt. Governor's office. Secretary to Lt. Governor met the Hon'ble Ministers since the Lt. Governor's office is operational on all days of the week. However, they neither submitted any letter nor gave any representation to the Lt. Governor. It is regrettable that at a time when Delhi is facing such a serious public health crisis, the elected government is choosing to politicize the issue instead of providing succor to the public. The Lt. Governor's office is keeping a close watch on the health situation in Delhi and is getting regular updates on the situation from the Chief Secretary and Secretary (H & FW), GNCTD."

The furious exchange took place a day after the LG ordered deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia to return to Delhi from his Europe tour to handle the collapsing health system in the national capital. The LG himself had reached back from a tour of the USA two days ago.

The AAP government is questioning the rationale and the motive behind the LG summoning Sisodia back from Europe if he has no time to meet ministers who were waiting at the gates of Raj Niwas.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is recovering at a hospital in Bengaluru after undergoing a surgery for recurring cough and doctors have advised him complete rest for two weeks.

Former Delhi health minister and senior Congress leader Kiran Walia said that the tussle was leading to a constitutional breakdown. "The AAP ministers have not done anything. It is so sad that they have brought shame to Delhi," she said.

Figures from the Health department show that 30 people have died in the latest outbreak of Chikungunya and Dengue and more than 3000 have been affected.