'Back-Door Robbery of Power': Arvind Kejriwal on Parliament Nod to NCT Bill

'Back-Door Stealth of Power': Arvind Kejriwal on Parliament Nod to NCT Bill

(Photo: Video screengrab)

Moments after the Rajya Sabha passed The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, that gives the Centre powers to control Delhi's bureaucracy, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal called it "robbery of power" by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

In a video address, Kejriwal said: "The Bill to enslave the people of Delhi was passed in the Parliament today. This Bill renders the people of Delhi powerless. In 1935, the British brought in a law called the Government of India Act which said that there will be elections in India but the elected government will not have any powers."

What he said on PM Modi: Citing the Supreme Court verdict that had upheld the Delhi government's control on bureaucrats, Arvind Kejriwal said that PM Modi has no regard for India's top court.

"After 75 years of Independence, PM Narendra Modi has snatched the freedom of the people of Delhi. He has brought a law like the one in 1935 which means that there will be elections in Delhi, they can choose their government but that government will have no powers," he said.

What Kejriwal said on BJP: The AAP chief further said that the ordinance was brought because the BJP knows it cannot defeat the AAP in Delhi.

"The BJP has faced a defeat in four elections - the Assembly elections in 2013, 2015, 2020, and the MCD elections in 2022. It's been 25 years since the BJP has not come to power in Delhi. They knew it's difficult to defeat AAP so they grabbed power from the back door," he said.

The people once gave AAP 67 seats (in Delhi Assembly) and three to the BJP. The next time (2020), they gave 62 to AAP and eight to the BJP. The people told them loud and clear that the BJP should not interfere in Delhi. They gave the BJP all seven seats in the Lok Sabha and only three in the Delhi Assembly. The people told PM Modi loud and clear that he should not interfere in Delhi and take care of the rest of the country. But PM Modi decided to not follow their mandate," he said.

What he said on the Opposition: Claiming that the BJP will not get a single Lok Sabha seat in Delhi, Kejriwal thanked all Opposition parties that opposed the Bill.

"Many parties and leaders stood by the people of Delhi during this struggle. I thank all those parties and leaders on behalf of the two crore people of Delhi," he said.