Delhi Teachers' Training Row: CM Kejriwal Says File Pending With LG For 15 Days, Calls It 'Dirty Politics'

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal accused the LG VK Saxena of engaging in "dirty politics" by withholding approval for the file that would allow the teachers to go to Finland for training.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal held a press conference on Thursday to address the escalating dispute between his government and the Lieutenant Governor over sending teachers to Finland for training. In his statement, he accused the Lieutenant Governor of engaging in "dirty politics" by not approving the file that would allow the teachers to go to Finland for training.

The training, which was initially cancelled and is now scheduled to be held in March, may once again be scrapped if the file is not approved. The CM appealed to the Lieutenant Governor to allow the teachers of Delhi to go to Finland for training, just as 36 teachers from Punjab are going to Singapore for training.

Kejriwal claimed that the file has been sent to the Lieutenant Governor's office several times, but it has been pending for the last 15 days and the Lieutenant Governor is not showing any intention of approving it. He further said that in 2018, the Supreme Court gave its verdict that no file would go to the Lieutenant Governor, but now every file in Delhi goes to the Lieutenant Governor first and is being stopped.

The CM said that his government has approached the Supreme Court for this matter, but a decision is yet to be made. He expressed hope that the Lieutenant Governor does not withhold any of the government's files until the Supreme Court's decision comes. , "We went to the Supreme Court as well. A decision is pending. I hope the LG does not withhold our files till the Supreme Court's decision. Because of the absurd obstructions by LG's office, the training of teachers could not be done. Now, it is slated to be held in March. But maybe that will not also happen because the file is still lying with the LG's office."

Kejriwal also spoke about the Union Budget, saying that the government collects income tax, but does not use it proportionately. He said that Delhi paid Rs 1.25 lakh crore tax, but was allocated only Rs 325 crore in the Budget.

Regarding the use of excise policy money in Goa, he dismissed the charge sheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) as "complete fiction". He said: "The ED's main purpose is to topple the government and buy or sell MLAs."