Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP-led Centre over the passage of Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2021 in Parliament, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, on Thursday, accused the prime minister of doing things to stop the development of Delhi. He claimed that Modi is ‘insecure’ about the growing popularity of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
The Rajya Sabha, on Wednesday, approved the bill giving primacy to Delhi's Lieutenant Governor (L-G) over the elected government after high drama in the House that saw uproar by the opposition and a walkout by MPs of parties like the BJD, SP, Congress and the YSR-Congress.
Sisodia said everyone is talking about how Modi model of development is failing and added that Kejriwal can be an alternative to Modi. The DyCM claimed that the bill was brought in to prevent Kejriwal from moving ahead.
Accusing the prime minister of resorting to negative politics, he said the AAP-led Delhi government is talking to legal experts and exploring their options. Calling Kejriwal "a fighter", he said he has fulfilled the promises in the manifesto despite the attempts of the Centre to stop him.
On Wednesday, after the bill was passed in Rajya Sabha, Sisodia called it a "dark day" for democracy. "Today is a dark day for democracy. The rights of the government elected by the people of Delhi have been taken away and handed over to LG. Look at the irony, the Parliament was used to assassinate democracy which is called the temple of our democracy. People of Delhi will fight against this dictatorship #BJPFearsKejriwal," Sisodia tweeted in Hindi.
After the passage of the bill on Wednesday, Aam Aadmi Party's Rajya Sabha member N.D. Gupta said the party will approach the Supreme Court to challenge the Centre's move. The party claimed that the bill would stall Delhi's progress by giving undue powers to the lieutenant governor.
—With PTI inputs
