The ambitious Jan lokpal Bill that took the naïve Aam Aadmi Party to political heights in Delhi nearly two months ago caused the biggest embarrassment to the Government and ultimately led to its fall on Friday. With the Bill getting defeated at the stage of introduction itself, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced his resignation and recommended to the lieutenant-Governor to dissolve the Delhi legislative Assembly.
The l-G has accepted Kejriwal’s resignation but asked him to continue as the caretaker CM till further arrangement. The tumultuous run of his Government lasted for just 49 days making it the most instable dispensation in the history of Delhi politics. Soon after the Jan lokpal Bill was defeated in the legislative Assembly, Kejriwal headed for the Secretariat where he held the last Cabinet meeting before sending his resignation to l-G Najeeb Jung. From there he reached his party office at Hanuman Road where he publicly announced his resignation to an anxiously waiting crowd; mostly comprising his party volunteers.
“The BJP and the Congress connived to topple our Government under pressure of Mukesh Ambani, who funds both political parties. The two parties are not allowing us to function ever since the Government lodged an FIR against Ambani. Hence, I have sent my resignation to the l-G and also recommended him to dissolve the legislative Assembly,” said Kejriwal after putting in his papers.
The Jan lokpal Bill was defeated at the introduction stage itself with 42 members voting against it and only 27 in favour. It was on expected lines as Kejriwal had vowed to relinquish his office if his pet project Jan lokpal Bill 2014 was not passed by the Delhi Assembly on Friday. “I am now directly going to the l-G’s office to hand over my resignation. I wish I get a chance to serve the nation and the State soon.
We are not here to comply with the Centre’s orders. We will only abide by the Constitution. The BJP and the Congress has shamed the Vidhan Sabha and Parliament,” he said. The Government lost to the Opposition BJP and its ally Congress in obtaining the mandatory permission from the House to introduce the Jan lokpal Bill. The Government made all possible bids to table the Bill before the House but the Speaker had to succumb to vociferous protests by 42 MlAs in the 70-member Assembly preventing the Bill from being tabled. The dropping on the Bill came as a moral defeat for the Government and as announced earlier, Kejriwal tendered his resignation.
Earlier, on a day of dramatic developments in the Assembly lasting over four hours, the 45-year-old Chief Minister, who has had a rollercoaster ride ever since he took over reins of power on December 28, last year, accused the Congress and BJP of “colluding” with each other against the Bill after his Government ordered filing an FIR against RIl chairman Mukesh Ambani.
After the l-G’s advice read out by the Speaker, both the BJP and the Congress leaders demanded that since the Delhi’s constitutional head, lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung, has vetoed the Bill, it should not be taken up for consideration because it does not have his assent. But Kejriwal was insistent on a discussion saying if the l-G address can be discussed in the House, why not his letter sent to the Speaker as a missiveIJ When the Opposition was demanding on the voting on the letter, Kejriwal dramatically rose to table the Jan lokpal Bill and sought the permission of the House to table the Bill.
This provoked both the Congress and the BJP leaders who contended that the Government had no right to introduce a Bill against lt Governor’s advice and such a step would be “unconstitutional”.
Chaotic scenes prevailed and Speaker MS Dhir was forced to adjourn the House. He called an all-party meeting to resolve the issue. When the House resumed, the treasury benches demanded a discussion which was also resisted by the Opposition, which insisted on voting. After a melee, the Speaker placed the resolution seeking leave for introduction of the Bill to vote. The Bill was defeated in the introduction stage itself with 42 members voting against it and only 27 in favour.