Aam Admi Party and Bharatiya Janata Party supporters on Thursday exchanged heated arguments as the row over the inauguration of the new campus of the Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU) in the Capital intensified even as Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal appealed for peace.
While appealing for calm, CM Arvind Kejriwal said, "With folded hands, I request you to please listen to me for 5 minutes". After the LG secretariat objected to the announcement that chief minister Arvind Kejriwal would inaugurate a new campus of GGSIPU, the power struggle between the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi Government and Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena reached a new boiling point. Delhi LG Governor VK Saxena also arrived at the new campus for its inauguration ceremony on Thursday. BJP supporters raised slogans against CM Arvind Kejriwal outside the new campus. Earlier, a Rapid Action Force was deployed inside the Campus to prevent any untoward incident. A Municipal Corporation of Delhi team removed, as seen in visuals, hoardings of several BJP leaders from the varsity Gate today. A row erupted after Education Minister Atitshi Marlena announced that CM Arvind Kejriwal would be inaugurating the Campus. Reacting to AAP Minister, the LG office in an earlier note stated that it was beyond shocking that the Education Minister claimed and announced in an open press conference that CM Arvind Kejriwal would be inaugurating the Campus, knowing fully well that the same is to be done by the Lt Governor. The office note further said that CM Kejriwal was aware that LG Saxena is scheduled to inaugurate the campus. In fact, they were also aware that they were supposed to be present at the function as Guest of Honour and Distinguished Guest, as desired by LG, and had also consented to it. In fact, the Chief Minister had asked for the date to be shifted from 23.05.2023 to accommodate his schedule and accordingly, the date had been re-scheduled to 08.06.2023. Delhi Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj on Wednesday questioned Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena's motive behind the inauguration of the East Campus. AAP leader said, "Police, Land and Public Order come under the Lieutenant Governor. He should inaugurate police stations, police headquarters, and the DDA sports complex. Education and higher education are state subjects, which fall in the domain of the elected government. Why is the L-G wanting to inaugurate it (east campus of GGSIPU)?". (ANI)
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