"Delhi L-G should focus on inaugurating police stations": AAP's Saurabh Bhardwaj amid GGSIPU East Campus inauguration row

New Delhi [India], June 7 : Delhi Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj on Wednesday questioned Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena's motive behind the inauguration of the East Campus of Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU), saying that he should focus, instead, on inaugurating buildings which come under the Police, Land and Public Order.

Speaking to ANI, Bhardwaj said, "Police, Land and Public Order come under the Lieutenant Governor. He should inaugurate police stations, police headquarters, 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)?"

He stated further that the construction work of this campus started before VK Saxena was appointed as Delhi's Lieutenant Governor.

"The construction of this campus started when he (VK Saxena) was not the L-G. Manish Sisodia started this work and our elected government took it further. It is strange now for the L-G to say that he was asked by officials to inaugurate the university campus," Bhardwaj said.

"At this rate, the L-G could say tomorrow that he would inaugurate Saurabh Bhardwaj's office. That's why L-G has kept all officers under his control and wants to keep it going. The CM is the one vested with the moral authority to inaugurate the campus. Such thoughts should not even come to the L-G's mind," he added.

Earlier, reacting to Delhi Education Minister Atishi's comment that CM Arvind Kejriwal will be inaugurating the East Campus of the GGSIPU, the L-G said in a statement, "It is beyond shocking that the Education Minister Atishi Marlena claimed and announced in an open Press Conference that CM Arvind Kejriwal will be inaugurating the East Campus of the GGSIPU, knowing fully well that the same is to be done by the Lt. Governor."

"CM Arvind Kejriwal himself was aware of the fact that LG 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 May 23 to accommodate his schedule and accordingly, the date had been re-scheduled to June 8," it added.

Further, the statement released by the office of the L-G said that the East campus of GGSIPU was conceptualised in 2013 when the Aam Admi Party was not in power.

"The East Campus of GGSIPU was conceptualized way back in 2013 when AAP was nowhere in power and a seed sum of Rs.41 Cr. was earmarked for it. The foundation stone of the campus was laid by the then Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani on 14.12.2014 and even after the AAP Government came to power in February 2015, no concrete movement happened," the statement added.