“We are not on strike, we feel victimized and threatened,” claims IAS Association

In response to the allegations leveled against it by the Delhi government, the IAS Officers’ Association in Delhi held a Press Conference to present their version of the controversy. We had reported earlier that government employees in Delhi and the Aam Aadmi Party government has been in conflict ever since the Chief Secretary of the national capital was allegedly assaulted at the Chief Minister’s residence.

During the press conference, Manisha Saxena, an IAS officer herself, claimed that bureaucrats were not on strike and that they were being unfairly targeted. “We are not on strike. We are all working and all departments are doing their job. Anyone is who claiming that we are on strike is lying, they are wrong. We are all doing our jobs,” she said. Varsha Joshi, Transport Commissioner, stated that they felt threatened and victimized wile asserting that they were being targeted on social media by a certain political party unfairly. She said,  “We are here to do our work. Please don’t use us for political mileage.”

Meanwhile, the IAS associations of various states have come out in support of the bureaucracy in Delhi. IAS Associations of Kerala, Karnataka and West Bengal have also lent their support to the IAS officers in Delhi. The respective state associations condemned the physical assault on the Chief Secretary and demanded that the culprits be immediately apprehended.

#DelhiChiefSecretary Telangana IAS Association stands with us pic.twitter.com/BJeD5Ksp4Y

— IAS AGMUT Association (@IAS_Agmut) February 21, 2018

A press release of the IAS AGMUT (Arunachal, Goa, Mizoram and Union Territories) Association that was released earlier states, “It is to be noted that if the Chief Secretary can go to attend a meeting at 12 o’clock midnight to CM’s residence, there are obviously reasons why officers post assault on Chief Secretary are constrained and fearful for going to meetings of Ministers.” It also asserts that neither Arvind Kejriwal nor his Deputy Chief Minister have made any efforts towards reconciliation and ensuring that the officers do not feel threatened or intimidated.

#DelhiAtWork #NoToStrike Press Statement pic.twitter.com/pgts0pD0Fa

— IAS AGMUT Association (@IAS_Agmut) June 15, 2018

Arvind Kejriwal has also started his campaign for separate statehood to Delhi claiming it to be a ‘freedom struggle’. A protest carried out by the party’s supporters displayed posters with highly insensitive slogans. Thus, currently, Arvind Kejriwal is battling the bureaucracy, Prime Minister Modi, the BJP, the Lieutenant General of Delhi to paint himself as a victim while simultaneously conspiring to form an alliance with the Congress for 2019 General Elections. Meanwhile, chaos reigns supreme in Delhi as AAP supporters struggle to hold protests without seeking any permission from Delhi Police.