'Breakdown of governance,' say IAS officers after Delhi Chief Secretary alleges assault by AAP MLAs

A massive political firestorm erupted over Delhi Tuesday after the chief secretary alleged that he had been assaulted by AAP MLAs at the chief minister's residence. 

The Aam Aadmi Party has called Anshu Prakash's allegation "ludicrous", adding that he was acting on the BJP's behest.  

The alleged attack on Prakash took place on Monday night, with Prakash saying he had been physically assaulted by two AAP MLAs during a meeting at the chief minister's residence. 

He added that he was manhandled in front of Kejriwal. 

AAP in turn said Prakash had "used bad language" with the MLAs. 

"About 2.5 lakh families deprived of rations last month due to faulty implementation of Aadhar. MLAs were under tremendous pressure from public. There was a meeting of MLAs at CM residence," the Aam Aadmi Party said in a statement. 

"Chief Secretary refused to answer questions saying he wasn't answerable to MLAs and CM and that he was answerable only to LG. He used bad language against some MLAs and left without answering any questions,"  the statement said. 

"Now he's making ludicrous allegations," it added. 

Delhi's IAS officers met with the Lieutenant Governor on Tuesday. (Despite having a chief minister, the LG is the head of the Delhi government. Kejriwal and the LG have more often than not, not got along.) 

"Met LG and put forward our concerns. Chief Secretary was called for a meeting late at night. CM, Deputy CM and MLAs were there, when Chief Secretary reached he was roughed up," secretary of the Delhi IAS Association Manisha Saxena said. 

"Since few years such things have been happening, officers have been insulted and humiliated," she added. 

The president of the Delhi Administrative Subordinate Services, DN Singh, meanwhile said they were going on strike until "they (those at fault) are not arrested". 

 "We are with our Chief Secretary," Singh added. 

The Delhi IAS Association later said that "in public interest officers and staff will continue to work in their offices." 

"However," they added, "no officer will attend meeting beyond office hours, outside office premises, till such time effective action is taken against all people behind this incident." 

"The Association strongly feel that above incident amounts to functional crisis and breakdown of governance and earnestly implore the Hon’ble Lt. Governor and the Govt. of India to take expeditious action against the perpetrators of the unfortunate incident," the association added.

The Congress' Ajay Maken meanwhile said, "It will be a very dangerous situation if Delhi goes towards administrative paralysis." 

The "LG should immediately meet Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal", he added. 

There was still more drama when, a little after news broke of the alleged assault, AAP MLA Ashish Khaitan alleged that he had been manhandled at the Delhi Secretariat.