In War with Kejriwal, Lt Governor Vetoes Farmers’ Case Lawyers

TIL Desk/National/New Delhi/ Opening yet another front in the perpetual power struggle over the nation’s capital, Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal has “rejected” a panel of lawyers picked by the Delhi government for cases against the farmers protesting against the centre’s three new farm laws at the city’s borders, a statement from Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s office said.

Accusing the BJP-ruled centre of exerting pressure on it to replace its prosecutors appearing in cases related to the anti-farm laws stir with those of the Delhi Police, the Delhi government said it will take a call on the issue at a cabinet meeting on Friday.

According to sources, the dispute stems from a “request made by the Delhi Police for the appointment of special public prosecutors for the cases related to violence, disrespect of the national flag and blatant disregard of the rule of law on Republic Day during a tractor rally taken out by the protesting farmers in the national capital.”

“It has nothing to do with the farmers” protest as is being deliberately made out with ulterior motives,” they claimed. The Delhi cabinet is likely to “reject” the Lt Governor’s recommendation for special public prosecutors of the Delhi Police, the sources said.