Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Wednesday accused LG VK Saxena of trying to "defame" the state government by saying that it did not do anything for the prevailing heatwave conditions in the city.

According to a letter to Delhi Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar, Saxena observed that despite the unusual severity of the heatwave, no instructions had been issued by the state government to protect labourers and accused Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his cabiinet of lacking "sensitivity" and "seriousness." Responding to the letter, Bharadwaj wrote to the LG alleging he gave "misleading information." He alleged that the objective behind the LG's letter was not to give "suggestions" to combat the heatwave but to humiliate the state government and portray it in a negative light.

Addressing a press conference, Bharadwaj said, "On May 27, when half of the summer season has passed – a letter from the LG office was written to the Chief Secretary taking a sarcastic dig stating that the Delhi government did not do anything for the heatwave condition.

"If the intention was to give suggestions we would have welcomed. But this letter was written with the ill intention of humiliating and showing the state government in a negative light. This kind of targeting does not suit the stature of the LG." Bharadwaj claimed that multiple advisories have been issued by the health department of the Delhi government to various bodies of the city outlining the measures to be taken to combat the heatwave.

He also accused the officials of not allowing his department to hold meetings on important issues, including the heatwave, citing the Model Code of Conduct in force due to the Lok Sabha elections.

According to the letter sent through the principal secretary, Saxena had expected that the chief minister or the concerned minister would convene a meeting for a heat action plan in the city.

However, "the lack of sensitivity and seriousness in dealing with the heat wave is a matter of grave concern for him," the principal secretary wrote.

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