Independence Day Flag Hoisting Controversy

On Tuesday, a bit of drama unfolded in Delhi regarding who will hoist the national flag at the official Independence Day event. The Lieutenant Governor, V K Saxena, appointed Home Minister Kailash Gahlot for the honor, which came as news to many.

Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister who is currently behind bars due to a corruption case, had earlier asked for his colleague Atishi to step in and hoist the flag on his behalf. Unfortunately for him, this request was turned down.

The General Administration Department (GAD) decided that Kejriwal couldn’t authorize Atishi to take his place at the ceremony. In an official letter, they also stated that Kejriwal’s communication from prison couldn’t be acted upon, a move that seems to set up a new round of contention between the AAP government and the LG Secretariat.

This twist also disregards the suggestions of other senior officials such as Gopal Rai, who had been pushing for Atishi’s nomination. The Secretary to the LG, Ashish Kundra, confirmed that necessary arrangements would be made for Gahlot to unfurl the flag at Chhatrasal Stadium.

Interestingly, earlier in the day, Gopal Rai had ordered that preparations be set in place for Atishi to hoist the national flag. However, GAD’s additional chief secretary, Navin Kumar Chaudhary, shot down that plan, declaring it “legally invalid.”

Atishi didn’t hold back her thoughts and took a jab at the LG, suggesting that a “new viceroy” has taken control in Delhi, denying the elected government their rightful responsibility. She’s referring to Saxena taking the lead on such a crucial matter.

While all of this was going on, Kejriwal’s letters and requests were also being dismissed by Tihar Jail authorities, claiming he was misusing his privileges. So, the stage is set for a rather tense Independence Day amidst this political tussle.