Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday attacked the BJP-led Centre, saying the Ordinance on Services was brought as money power and the threat of the ED and the CBI failed in Delhi. Kejriwal stressed that the next election would be fought on the issue of full statehood for Delhi. Replying to a debate in the Delhi Assembly on the GNCTD (Amendment) Bill, Kejriwal claimed that the BJP was set to lose all seven Lok Sabha seats in the national Capital. The AAP Convener also claimed that the BJP had brought the “Sanghi” model of democracy through the Services Bill and asserted that the 2024 Lok Sabha elections would be fought on the issue of full statehood for the national Capital.
In a scathing attack on the BJP-led Government at the Centre, Kejriwal said the rights of Delhiites were taken away by enacting a law, but he would not let the work being done in Delhi by his Government stop under any circumstances and promised that he would get the rights of the people back.
Kejriwal said, “The democratic rights of the people of Delhi were trampled through the Ordinance and the Bill. There are several styles of democratic systems like the Westminster style and parliamentary style. These people (BJP) have brought the Sanghi style of democracy through this Bill,” he said. “The Ordinance on Services was brought because money power and the threat of the ED and the CBI failed in Delhi.”
He added that recently, someone from the BJP had threatened him, saying, “We will make you bow. But I want to tell them that no power can make Kejriwal and the two crore people of Delhi bow.” Earlier, speaking on the issue, Delhi Services Minister Atishi criticised the BJP for its disruptive efforts to diminish the powers of the elected Government of Delhi with the GNCTD (Amendment) Bill. “The BJP’s manifestos from 1989-2014 claimed that the party would get Delhi ‘full statehood’, but they forgot their own promises after 2014, why?” the Minister questioned.
Atishi said that just as the Viceroy ruled over India during colonial times, regardless of the people’s wishes, the BJP has done the same by imposing the LG on the people of Delhi and the elected Government. “The BJP was scared that if CM Arvind Kejriwal gets complete power the nation would witness the pace and efficiency with which work for the public is done. The BJP oppressed Delhiites and took away their power to vote. The people will give BJP a stern response in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections,” Atishi added.
The BJP reacted sharply to Kejriwal’s scathing criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the recently-enacted GNCTD Amendment Act, saying “corruption, inaction and nepotism” of his Government will pave its exit in 2025.
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva challenged Kejriwal to call a session of the Assembly for a debate to compare development works done by his Government and the Modi Government in Delhi. “Since the 2020 elections, people of Delhi have seen the real face of Kejriwal through communalism, inaction, corruption and nepotism and they will shunt him out of power in 2025,” Sachdeva said. He also said the AAP national convener was deft in playing the victim card and diverting issues.
“Kejriwal has mastered the art of playing the victim card for political benefit. Time and again the people of Delhi have seen that whenever the issue of corruption and nepotism in his governance becomes a topic of discussion, he tries to raise the issue of power and rights of his Government to divert public attention,” Sachdeva charged.