Letter to L-G 'abuse of privileges': Tihar jail authorities in letter to Delhi CM Kejriwal
New Delhi (PTI): The Tihar authorities have informed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal that his letter to Lt Governor VK Saxena saying Atishi would hoist the Tricolour on Independence Day was "an abuse of privileges" granted to him under the Delhi Prison Rules.
The superintendent of Tihar's jail number 2 cited various provisions of the Delhi Prisons Rules, 2018, and advised Kejriwal in a letter "to desist from any such impermissible activity" or his privileges would be curtailed.
In a letter to the lieutenant governor last week, Kejriwal said Cabinet minister Atishi would hoist the national flag during the Delhi government's Independence Day programme in his stead.
The lieutenant governor's office, however, had denied receiving any communication from the chief minister.
Kejriwal is lodged in Tihar jail in a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case in connection with the alleged excise policy scam. He has been granted interim bail by the Supreme Court in the excise policy-linked money-laundering case registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
In the letter to Kejriwal, the Tihar authorities said, "From a bare reading of the above rules, it is clear that your communication does not qualify in the permissible communication which can be sent outside the prison. Only private correspondence with a designated set of people, as defined above, is permissible. Therefore, your letter dated 06.08.2024 has not been sent to the addressee but has been filed."
Undertrials are governed by legal provisions of the Delhi Prison Rules, which circumscribe their rights and privileges, the letter stated.
"It is surprising to note that the contents of the letter, which was handed over by you on August 6, were leaked to the media without any authority. This amounts to an abuse of privileges granted to you under the Delhi Prison Rules, 2018," it added.
The jail superintendent advised Kejriwal "to desist from any such impermissible activity".
"... failing which I shall be constrained to invoke the provisions of Delhi Prison Rules, 2018, to curtail your privileges," the letter stated.
The letter cited Rule 588, which states that the contents of all letters written by prisoners shall be limited to private matters.
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Shivakumar’s CM aspiration natural, high command will decide: Parameshwara
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said on Saturday that Deputy CM D K Shivakumar, as the state Congress president, naturally aspires to become chief minister. However, he added that the final decision rests with the party's high command.
Amid ongoing speculation about a leadership change within the ruling Congress, he wished Shivakumar "good luck".
"I have always wished him so. There is nothing else; we are good friends. He is the PCC (Pradesh Congress Committee) president, and naturally, he has an aspiration to become the chief minister. Nobody can object to it. But it all depends on what the high command decides,” Parameshwara said in response to a question regarding Shivakumar’s aspiration for the CM post.
Speaking to reporters, he said, “Don’t always go back to the CM issue. Please understand there is nothing that I can tell you about it. If I were part of the decision-making body or inside the decision-making body, I could definitely provide information.”
Supporters of Shivakumar have been insisting on his elevation in line with a reported power-sharing agreement with chief minister Siddaramaiah when the party won the 2023 Assembly elections. Some have even claimed that "sweet news" is expected by May 15, which is Shivakumar’s birthday.
Speculation has been circulating within the Congress and political circles about a possible leadership change and cabinet reshuffle after May 4, once the results of the Assembly elections in four states and one union territory, along with bypolls to two Assembly segments in Karnataka, are announced.
However, AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge said on Thursday that there is no CM change in Karnataka "for now" and that the leadership issue in the state will be resolved soon.
On Friday, he said no date has been fixed yet to discuss a possible leadership change, while maintaining that any decision in this regard would be taken collectively by the party high command after due consultation.
Meanwhile, Parameshwara met senior Congress leader and MLC B K Hariprasad and Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan over dinner on Friday. Hariprasad had met Siddaramaiah earlier in the day.
Responding to a question about discussions at the dinner, as his name is also being mentioned for the chief minister post amid calls for a "Dalit CM", the home minister said there was no discussion about the chief minister issue.
“Hariprasad told me that he met the CM, but he did not disclose what was discussed between them. Hariprasad, Zameer Ahmed Khan, and I met over dinner, and we discussed the elections held in four states and one union territory. We analysed the national-level political situation and naturally discussed the state’s political developments,” he said.
When asked if he would travel to New Delhi to meet the party high command, Parameshwara said, “I will definitely go to Delhi. Nobody can stop me from going there. I will go when it is required.”
