Delhi vs Centre? Assembly passes resolution against Asthana's appointment as Delhi Police Commissioner

Signalling another round of confrontation, the Delhi Assembly on Thursday passed an unprecedented resolution against the appointment of senior IPS officer Rakesh Asthana claiming that he was forced upon them to destabilise Delhi.

The resolution, which expressed disapproval against the appointment of a "controversial Gujarat cadre officer being forced upon Delhi as Police Commissioner'', also demanded that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) reverse the decision.

AAP MLAs, including Delhi Home Minister Satyendar Jain, alleged that his appointment was in contravention with the Supreme Court order on the appointment of police chiefs while Leader of Opposition Ramvir Bhiduri defended the appointment, and claimed that he had one year to retire.

Asthana, who was BSF Director General, was on Tuesday night appointed as Delhi Police Commissioner just four days ahead of his scheduled retirement by extending his services till July 31 next year. The 1984-batch IPS officer took charge on Wednesday.

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Referring to Bidhuri's remarks that he was a decorated police official, Jain said that the Leader of Opposition had actually highlighted that the police chiefs before Asthana were not good enough and it proved that the Centre had restricted good officers from becoming the Delhi police commissioner.

Jain also asked if Asthana had one year more to retire, why he was not considered for the post of CBI Director in May this year. The names of Asthana and Y C Modi were not considered for CBI Director's post after Chief Justice N V Ramana highlighted the Supreme Court order that no officer with less than six months service should be considered for such top posts.

Bidhuri said that Asthana was conferred Police Medal for Meritorious Service earlier and he had led the probe into the fodder scam. "Asthana's appointment is a jolt to crime and corruption. His appointment should be welcomed," he said.

Moving the resolution, AAP MLA Sanjeev Jha said Asthana's appointment was "illegal". "Prime Minister Narendra Modi's blue-eyed boy was appointed four days before his retirement with a one year extension. The Prime Minister has brought a henchman on a special mission to destabilise Delhi. It is illegal and contempt of the Supreme Court," he said.

AAP MLA Akhilesh Pati Tripathi alleged that Asthana was appointed to crush political opponents in Delhi as it was in Gujarat.

Ghulab Singh, also an AAP MLA, questioned the "hurry" in the appointment and said, "his whole career is questionable -- corruption in CBI, Ishrat Jahan Encounter case etc., he has been instrumental in covering every dirty job of Modi-Shah. He has been brought to harass the AAP government."