NEW DELHI: A day after the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was passed in the Parliament, the Delhi government on Thursday slammed the Centre saying it was an attempt to stall the governance model presented by them to the entire country. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Thursday alleged that the central government is feeling insecure as Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is “emerging as an alternative to Prime Minister Narendra Modi”.
Sisodia said that due to the growing popularity of the “Kejriwal Model” of the welfare of the people, the prime minister feels threatened. “We know that at present, the nation and the world is speaking of the Arvind Kejriwal model of governance and its diverse schemes. This is exactly what is making the BJP-led central government insecure,” he said.
The AAP number two said that it was due to the “insecurities” of the BJP that the GNCTD (Amendment) Bill was passed. “The post of the Prime Minister is like a father-figure who supports and aids the good work done by the Chief Minister of any state belonging to any political leaning instead of imposing blockades. This sort of revenge-politics, negative politics is not right,” said Sisodia further lashing out at the Centre.
The Delhi government is taking legal advice on whether to approach the Supreme Court. However, no final decision has yet been taken, said the deputy chief minister. AAP over the past few years has been occasionally fighting over the control of the governance of Delhi with the Centre. It has stated that after this Bill becomes a law, the elected government will have hardly decision taking power to manage the affairs of the administration.
This Bill seeks to give more powers to the Lieutenant Governor (L-G) and will make it mandatory for the Delhi government to take the opinion of the L-G before taking any executive action, a move that the Delhi government says will undermine the people’s mandate and the elected government of the national capital. Apart from this, the bill also makes it clear the “government” in Delhi means the “Lieutenant Governor”.
The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed the GNCTD (Amendment) Bill despite an uproar and walkout from the opposition. The Bill was earlier passed by the Lok Sabha on March 22. It will now be sent for the assent of the President of India.