Atishi to hoist flag on Aug 15; CM’s letter to LG blocked by jail

Delhi general administration department (GAD) minister Gopal Rai on Monday directed the GAD to make necessary arrangements for minister Atishi to hoist the national flag at the Independence Day function of the Delhi government on August 15. In a letter to GAD, Rai said chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has expressed his desire that Atishi should hoist the flag.
“I had a meeting with chief minister today. He desires that minister Atishi should hoist the flag on 15th of August 2024, at the Chhatrasal stadium event, in his place. All the necessary arrangements be made accordingly,” Rai said in the letter, dated August 12.
Officials in GAD did not comment on the development.
Kejriwal has been in jail since March 21, following his arrest over the alleged irregularities in the now-scrapped 2021-22 excise policy.
On August 6, Kejriwal wrote to lieutenant governor (LG) VK Saxena, saying minister Atishi will hoist the national flag at the Independence Day function on August 15, an Aam Aadmi Party functionary said.
However, LG office said that it did not receive the letter from Kejriwal.
Meanwhile on August 9, the superintendent of central jail No. 2 in Tihar Prison Complex where Kejriwal is currently lodged, wrote a letter to Kejriwal stating that his communication (letter sent to LG) was against the prison rules, and hence it was not sent.
Referring to prison rules, the superintendent stated that, “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 designated set of people… is permissible. Therefore, your letter dated 06.08.2024 has not been sent to the addressee but has been filed,” the official stated in the letter.
According to Delhi Prison Rules, 2018, every prisoner is allowed to communicate with his family members, relatives, friends and legal advisors, and the content of the letters shall be limited to private affairs.
“It is surprising to note that the contents of the letter, which was handed over by you on 6.8.2024, were leaked to the media without any authority. This amounts to an abuse of privileges granted to you under the Delhi Prison Rules, 2018. You are therefore advised 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 superintendent said in the letter.
LG office did not respond to request for comment.
The Delhi chief minister hoists the flag annually on the Independence Day at Chhatrasal Stadium. Kejriwal has been hoisting the flag at the Delhi government function since 2015.
An official said the preparations for organising the Independence Day function at Chhatrasal Stadium are in progress and all arrangements as per the tradition and past precedence are being made.
During the function, Delhi government ministers with their family members are present, besides senior officers of the government. The chief guest who hoists the tricolour inspects the parade and receives the guard of honour from various contingents such as those from Delhi Police, Civil Defence, Delhi Fire Service, and others. The chief guest also delivers a speech.