Jung calls Kejriwal a ‘young man in hurry’

New Delhi, Jan 11 (IANS) Former Delhi Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung on Wednesday accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of "nepotism and gross favouritism" in making appointments but gave "benefit of doubt" to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal whom he called a "young man in hurry".

Jung, in a wide-ranging interview with India Today news channel, said the Kejriwal-led government had taken decisions in "excitement of power" after an "overwhelming majority" in the state assembly.

"Perhaps they did not know the system. I would like to give them benefit of doubt," Jung said.

Kejriwal, he said, "didn't know the government has its own pace and momentum" but kept moving at his own pace.

"He is young man in a hurry to perform, and with time he will learn."

Jung, who during his three-and-half years' tenure as the LG had a bitter turf war with Kejriwal over the city administration, said his differences with the Chief Minister were professional.

"I had an extremely cordial relationship with Kejriwal. I have visited his house, he visited mine. He has a lovely family."

He said he had never spoken against Kejriwal publicly and "never had even an iota of an argument when we met in private".

He, however, said several of the 400 files related to Delhi government decisions being examined by the Shunglu Committee were sent to the CBI for probe.

The files, submitted to the panel of experts, were divided in three categories, he said.

First lot of these were where the Chief Minister took decisions on his own but did not have the authority and needed the LG's consent.

Second, where the Chief Minister and his cabinet took decisions without the LG's consent, and the third where the decisions were taken when neither the Chief Minister nor the LG had powers to do so.

He said he had given post-facto approval to some 170-180 files.

"About 80 files were declined and 7-8 files were referred to the CBI for probe," Jung said.

He said FIRs had already been registered in some 2-3 cases and about a dozen were sent for vigilance inquiry.

Jung formed the Shunglu Committee after the Delhi High Court on August 4 recognised the Lt. Governor as the administrative head of the Delhi government.

Jung said Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain had appointed Nikunj Agarwal, a relative of Kejriwal's wife, first as a resident doctor and then an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in his office, bypassing rules.

"Agarwal had approached the Health Minister and on a plain piece of paper wrote application that he wanted to be appointed as a resident doctor..."

Jung alleged that Jain called Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalaya Director and told him that Agarwal be appointed.

"Government appointments can't be done by any individual. They have to follow a process," Jung said.

"Soon, he was taken as an OSD in Jain's office. Within 2-3 weeks sent on a tour to China."

He said it was a case of "nepotism and gross favouritism" as there "was no post to appoint him".

Jung said Jain in another case of "nepotism" had appointed his daughter, Soumya, an architect, as an adviser for the construction of mohalla clinics.

"All hell broke loose when a TV channel broke the story that she was the Health Minister's daughter." The case is also being probed by the CBI.