Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Monday reached out to Delhiites on the issue of disqualification of 20 MLAs belonging to the Aam Aadmi Party on account of holding office of profit, claiming that it was part of the conspiracy by the BJP-led government at the Centre to bring the AAP government in the capital to a standstill.
In an open letter to the people of Delhi, Sisodia said the 20 MLAs, who were made parliamentary secretaries, had been given different responsibilities to ensure good governance at the grassroots level. “In return, the MLAs were not given any official car or bungalow or a single penny as salary...All these MLAs spent their own money in carrying out their work since they had come from an agitation and they had a great desire to work for the country,” he wrote.
In the letter, which clearly aimed at projecting the Arvind Kejriwal government in Delhi and the AAP as victims of the machinations of the ruling dispensation at the Centre, Sisodia questioned how they could be disqualified for holding office of profit when they were not given anything. He attacked the Election Commission for finalising its decision with regard to the MLAs without giving them a hearing. He said the Centre, had in the last three years, not left any stone unturned to victimise the Kejriwal government.
Sisodia said the Narendra Modi government was afraid of the good work being done by the Kejriwal regime and was trying its best to stop the Delhi government from delivering on the governance front.
“By disqualifying 20 MLAs, they have imposed elections on Delhi. Model Code of Conduct will come into force and all government work in Delhi will come to a standstill,” Sisodia wrote.
“Is this not dirty politics? Is it right to push Delhi to polls like this? Is it right to stop all development work in Delhi for the next two years? And is it proper to use unconstitutional and illegal means to disqualify 20 elected representatives?” he asked.
