New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday (March 18) wrote a letter to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal extending support over the contentious National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
Terming the Bill a surgical strike on the federal construction of the Indian Republic, Banerjee stated she stands in full solidarity with Kejriwal within the matter.
“I stand in full solidarity with you in your principled opposition to Centre’s devious, anti-democratic and anti-constitution move to disempower Delhi government and reduce the status of Delhi CM to a subordinate to the Lt Governor,” Banerjee stated in a letter.
“National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2021 is a surgical strike on the federal structure of the Indian Republic,” she stated.
“It also makes a mockery of the letter and spirit of democracy by disempowering the Delhi government, which is elected by the people,” she added.
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee writes to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal,”I stand in full solidarity with you in your principled opposition to Centre’s devious, anti-democratic & anti-constitution move to disempower Delhi Govt & reduce status of Delhi CM to a subordinate to the Lt Gov” pic.twitter.com/frY16qWhTC
— ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2021
Banerjee took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah saying that they’ve “not been able to stomach the humiliating defeat the BJP suffered at the hands of AAP in both 2014 and 2019 assembly elections.”
The letter additional learn that the “BIll violates the unambiguous verdict by a five-judge Supreme Court bench in 2018, which upheld the pre-eminence of Delhi’s elected government in all matter other than police, public order and land.”
The Bill was launched by Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy in Lok Sabha on Monday. It makes it necessary for the Delhi authorities to take the opinion of the LG earlier than any govt motion within the nationwide capital.
On Wednesday, Kejriwal accused the Centre of “curtailing the powers” of the elected Delhi authorities via the Bill.
Speaking at a protest organised by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs, MPs, Councillors on the Jantar Mantar towards the GNCTD Bill, Kejriwal stated, “The Centre has brought in a law that says ‘Delhi government means Lieutenant Governor’. If this happens, where will the CM go? Do elections, votes do not mean anything? It is a fraud with the people.”
AAP has alleged that the Bill will present overarching energy to the Lieutenant Governor.
Slamming the BJP-led central authorities, Kejriwal alleged that as they failed in “buying” AAP MLAs, they’ve amended a legislation to “decrease the power of the elected government in Delhi.”
Congress MP Manish Tewari on Thursday gave a discover for an adjournment movement in Lok Sabha demanding a dialogue on the proposed amendments.
