NEW DELHI: Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of trying to rule Delhi through the lieutenant governor, Najeeb Jung . Reacting to the notification by the ministry of home affairs backing the LG on transfers and postings of bureaucrats and disempowering the Anti Corruption Branch (ACB) to prevent it from taking action against central officials, including those of Delhi Police, Kejriwal said the Centre wanted to place its own people in Delhi. The CM said the “Modi government is trying to run Delhi with three BJP MLAs through the backdoor.”

The Delhi CM seemed to be in no mood to relent and his government will be seeking the opinion of constitutional experts before deciding on its course of action. For now, it remains ambiguous over its dealings with the LG’s office. Sources in the government did not rule out challenging the notification in court.

READ ALSO: Sorry, your writ doesn't run over officers: Centre to Kejriwal

Kejriwal didn’t mince his words. “The transfer-posting industry is worth crores of rupees. In the three months that we have been in power, we have closed down this industry,” he claimed. “I have met so many people from the Centre on so many occasions. The LG has never enquired about the state of water and power supply but keeps asking for transfer-posting to be put in his charge. There is something very fishy about this.”

Kejriwal likened the PM to the Queen of England when India was under British rule. The real power centre was the Queen, like the PM is. The LG is like the Viceroy, only a face. I do not have a 'jung” with the LG but we are fighting corruption and the Narendra Modi govern ment is very worried about it. It has started creating hurdles for the Delhi government,” he added. He alleged that Jung was getting directions from the PMO.

Kejriwal said he had sought the opinion of experts on the issue after which the government would explore the options available to it. He added that transfer-posting did not come under services, an issue which is under the LG's discretion.

READ ALSO: PM Narendra Modi trying to rule Delhi through LG, Arvind Kejriwal says

The MHA notification also prohibits the Delhi anti-corruption branch from taking action against central officials, including those of Delhi Police. Kejriwal said there was something wrong in trying to defend someone who is facing corruption charges. “The Centre wants us to turn away if we find a central government employee indulging in corruption,” he said. He said the notification reflected the nervousness of the BJP and the Centre over the anti-corruption efforts of his government.

READ ALSO: Power to appoint and transfer bureaucrats rests with me, Najeeb Jung tells Kejriwal

Kejriwal says 'everybody against us'

Kejriwal's deputy, Manish Sisodia, alleged the notification showed that Modi and home minister Rajnath Singh were “kneeling down” before corruption, referring to the same “thriving transfer-posting industry”.

“Earlier, a lot of money was changing hands for transfers but now that has ended under the AAP government 's three-month rule. When the Congress and BJP people failed to get contracts in Delhi, they went to the PMO.

“Now, they have brought this notification as the two parties want to have their own officers in Delhi and get government contracts for their own people and that is why they want control over the transfer-posting industry through the LG. By bringing in the notification, the Centre has backstabbed the people of Delhi,” Kejriwal told reporters.

Earlier in a tweet, Kejriwal had observed: “BJP first lost Del elections. Today's notification shows BJP's nervousness abt our anti-corruption efforts. BJP again lost today.”

