Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal sought the Centre's cooperation irrespective of the differences in "political ideologies".
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and took up a host of issues, including his government's tussle with Lt Governor Najeeb Jung, as he sought the Centre's cooperation irrespective of the differences in "political ideologies".
The chief minister, who was accompanied by his deputy Manish Sisodia for the meeting with Modi, also raised the issue of "Delhi police being at war with his government" and touched upon the row over the appointment of the Delhi Anti-Corruption Bureau.
"We met the prime minister and told him that for the development of Delhi and benefit of its people, the Centre and the state government should work in tandem.”
“But it is important that the political ideologies of the two governments should not interfere with the work," Kejriwal told reporters after meeting the prime minister.
"I asked him (Modi) that when he was the Gujarat chief minister, how many times the state government's order was declared null and void by the governor. That was the time when Congress was in power at the Centre, but how many times did the government declare their orders null and void? There is not even one example," he added.
The ruling AAP in Delhi has been locked in a power tussle with the Lt Governor in recent months.
Kejriwal also raised the issue of "Delhi Police being at war with his government".
"It looks like Delhi Police is at war with the Delhi government and that is dangerous for democracy. When there was a strike of transporters, police was trying that the protest should get escalated.”
"They are focussed upon how to arrest the MLAs one by one. If the police itself creates problems, there will be chaos and the crime rate will increase," he said.
Talking about the appointment of the ACB Chief, Kejriwal said, "I told him that the Anti-Corruption Bureau was working absolutely fine before June 8 and then a corrupt officer was sent as ACB chief."
"I told the PM, that we will fulfil your dreams of Swacch Bharat, Skill India and Digital India. We will do the work and you will earn fame when you go abroad. We will do all that but we need your cooperation," he said.
Sources in the government said that during the much-awaited interaction, Kejriwal also discussed the land crunch for development projects and transfer and postings of bureaucrats.
The Delhi chief minister had been trying to meet Modi for some time now. During the Budget Session of Delhi Assembly, he had said that he had sought an appointment with the prime minister, but had failed to get one.
In an open letter in June, Kejriwal had also appealed to Modi to take steps to improve Delhi's deteriorating law and order situation or hand over control of the police to the city government.
The chief minister had also expressed his desire to meet Modi when the latter had wished him on his birthday earlier this month.
"@narendramodi Thank u so much sir for your wishes. I am touched. I look forward to meeting u soon to brief u on Delhi's situation," Kejriwal had tweeted in response to a post by Modi on the micro-blogging site.
Image: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy CM Manish Sisodia at the Prime Minister's Office
