A group of 56 ex-bureaucrats and diplomats has written to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar on Thursday to withdraw recognition of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) under Order 16A of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968 for the remarks of Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal during his recent visit to Gujarat.

The group cited Kejriwal’s “unbalanced and controversial” comments made during a press conference held in Rajkot, Gujarat on September 3, 2022.

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They alleged the Delhi CM had repeatedly “induced public servants of the State of Gujarat to work in tandem with the AAP” so that the party can ensure victory in the upcoming Gujarat Assembly elections, adding that they totally disapprove of the blatant efforts of AAP to politicize civil servants.

“Mr Kejriwal called upon public servants, including policemen, home guards, anganwaadi workers, state transport drivers and conductors and polling booth officers, to aid the AAP in the upcoming State elections. We totally disapprove of the blatant efforts of AAP to politicize civil servants. We reiterate that civil servants are meant to be non-partisan and serve the Government and the people and execute policies adopted by the Parliament and the executive,” the letter read.

“In disingenuously inducing public servants to “work for the AAP”, Mr. Kejriwal ignores that civil servants are bound by the Code of Conduct. Through his unacceptable comments, public servants have been relegated to being employees of political parties in power. The reality that AAP seems to have forgotten is that public servants do not owe any allegiance to political parties. Their responsibility is to work towards the furtherance of public welfare and security at large,” it further read.

The bureaucrats also said that Kejriwal “manipulated” public servants through misleading considerations, alleging that as a reward for “their allegiance”, AAP will provide them with several free schemes.

“Mr. Kejriwal has manipulated these public servants through misleading considerations, stating that in exchange for their allegiance, the AAP will award them with free electricity, free education, new schools, transfer “thousands of rupees” to the bank accounts of the women of their households and fulfil their additional demands within one month of the AAP coming into power in the State. We emphatically state that through his comments, Mr. Kejriwal has attempted to persuade public servants to act in contravention of the principles and ethics by which they are governed and to act as agents for AAP in the upcoming elections,” the letter said.

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The letter said that his remarks were in grave violation of the provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

“In view of the above, we request the Election Commission of India (ECI) to withdraw recognition of AAP as a recognised political party in light of its flagrant violations under Order 16A of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968 as the conduct of the National Convenor of AAP has breached the Model Code of Conduct,” the letter written by the bureaucrats to the CEC read.

Among the prominent signatories are M Madan Gopal (former Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Karnataka), Anand Bose (former chief secretary, Kerala), Saurabh Chandra (ex-petroleum secretary), K Sreedhar Rao (former CS Sikkim), Niranjan Desai (former ambassador), Bhaswati Mukherjee (former ambassador) among others.