AAP to make statehood for Delhi its main Lok Sabha poll plank: Arvind Kejriwal

“The party will fight the coming Lok Sabha election on the full statehood issue," Kejriwal said in the Delhi Assembly during a discussion on the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2023.

Launching a scathing attack on the BJP, which spearheads the Centre's ruling dispensation over the new Act, Kejriwal alleged that the Centre took away the rights of Delhi people by enacting the law.

“I assure the people of Delhi that I will get back your rights, we will not let the work of Delhi stop under any circumstances,” he said.

Taking a dig at Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the Delhi CM said, “I heard the whole speech of Amit Shah who spoke on GNCTD (Amendment) Bill for almost two hours, but he did not say anything about the benefit of the Bill for Delhiites.”

The Centre initially brought an Ordinance and then passed the Bill in Parliament to control the officers' and bureaucrats' services and transfers in Delhi, which has now become the GNCTD Act after it was passed by both Houses.

“The BJP-led government brought this Act with an intention to create obstacles in the development works of Delhi government,” he alleged.

“They brought the ordinance on services as the money power and threat of their agencies, Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had failed in Delhi, though they used these tactics to topple several state governments,” Kejriwal said.

“Within three months after the formation of our government in 2015, ACB and services were taken away by bringing a Bill. Their aim behind taking away the services was to stop the work of the Delhi government by threatening and twisting the neck of the officers,” the CM said.

Attacking the previous Delhi governments, Kejriwal said, “Delhi was earlier known for its scams like CWG and CNG, but now people talk about free electricity, better education, and development.”

[With UNI inputs]