Delhi L-G VK Saxena has directed the chief secretary to recover Rs 97 crore from the AAP for political advertisements published as government ads, drawing sharp reactions from the party. What’s the row about?
New Delhi ,UPDATED: Dec 20, 2022 15:12 IST
Delhi L-G VK Saxena has directed the chief secretary to recover Rs 97 crore from the AAP for political advertisements published as government ads (File Photo)
By India Today Web Desk: Delhi Lieutenant Governor (L-G) VK Saxena has directed the chief secretary to recover Rs 97 crore from the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for political advertisements.
There should be nothing wrong with a political party publishing political advertisements. But what the L-G is saying here is that the party published these advertisements as government ads using government money.
The party and the government led by the party are two separate entities. Government ads are mostly for public awareness over issues such as dengue prevention and air pollution control, besides publicity of government schemes. The government uses taxpayers’ money to pay newspapers and TV channels for such ads.
On the other hand, political ads seek to further a political party’s agenda. There is no watertight demarcation between the two as most government ads have political messaging and political ads can feature government work and report cards.
Also Read: Delhi L-G orders AAP to pay Rs 97 cr for govt funded political ads, party calls it ‘stupidity’
One of the charges against the AAP is that Delhi government ads have been published in non-Delhi newspapers and, thus, these are political advertisements.
The AAP has said that the L-G has no power to issue such orders and asking for the recovery of the amount spent is stupidity. “Ads of several BJP-ruled states have been published in Delhi,” the party said.
FIGHTS NOT NEW
In Delhi, the AAP and the L-G have been fighting since 2014 when the party first came to power in the national capital.
The situation has continued even though the Raj Bhavan occupants have changed—from Najeeb Jung to Anil Baijal to the incumbent, Vinai Kumar Saxena.
The L-G office has disapproved of AAP government schemes, ordered inquiries into its policies, targeting even top leaders, and questioned showpiece initiatives like mohalla clinics and schools.
On the other hand, AAP leaders have accused the L-G of corruption, held dharnas, blamed him for encouraging insubordination among bureaucrats and CM Kejriwal has skipped coordination meetings with him.
All this has been over one central question: who is the actual Delhi government? The Delhi court ruled in the L-G’s favour. The Supreme Court then said the L-G was bound by the elected government’s advice.
Also Read: Delhi running on ads, speeches: Delhi L-G VK Saxena’s searing letter to Arvind Kejriwal
And last year, Parliament settled the debate as it passed a bill making the L-G the overall head of the Delhi government. Whether the Delhi government bureaucrats also report to the L-G is a question before the top court.
The L-G reports to the Centre, in this case, the BJP-led central government.
After the ad order, the AAP said, “The L-G of BJP is working under the guise of fake headlines. He is now giving the argument of a BJP spokesperson in his letter”.
