CM Arvind Kejriwal urges PM Narendra Modi to intervene to end IAS officers' strike

Delhi Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, seeking his intervention to end the IAS officers' strike.

In his letter to Modi, Kejriwal cited instances when the government work was stuck as the officers have not been attending meetings with ministers for the past three months.

He said that the cleaning of drains before the monsoon, setting up of mohalla clinics and measures to curb air pollution in Delhi is stuck because of the alleged strike by the IAS officers. Also, no meeting has taken place between IAS officers and ministers for the past three months to address the issue of air pollution, even as toxic pollutants in the air reached to dangerous levels over the past three days.

The chief minister added that the Centre and the L-G have control over the IAS officers and had they been under the Delhi government, their "strike" would have ended within hours.

Kejriwal wrote to Modi on the fourth day of the sit-in, he and his ministers are holding at Baijal's office, demanding that the L-G direct the IAS officers to end their "strike" and act against those who have struck work. They also want the L-G to approve the proposal for doorstep delivery of ration.

"Due to strike, several works are being affected. As L-G is doing nothing to end IAS officers' strike, Delhi government and the people of Delhi request you (PM) with folded hands to get the strike called off immediately so that works of Delhi can resume," Kejriwal said in the letter.

Separately in a tweet, Kejriwal alleged that the L-G office did not allow his brother to meet him. "My brother came to meet me from Pune. He was not allowed to meet me. This is wrong."

Kejriwal has said they will not leave the L-G office until their demands are met. The Aam Aadmi Party has threatened to stage a "dharna" at the Prime Minister's Office on Sunday if a solution to the issue was not found this week.

According to the AAP government, officers have not been attending meetings with the ministers and not picking up their calls due to which government work for people was suffering. However, IAS officers' association has claimed that no officer has been on strike and no work has been affected.