The Rajya Sabha passed the contentious Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023 on Monday evening, eliciting a myriad of reactions across political lines. The ruling party in the national capital, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has vehemently and vocally opposed the Bill. “Today has proven to be a dark day in the history of India. The bill that has been passed today has turned the people of Delhi into slaves…When we gained independence, the Constitution was written, granting the elected government the power to work. Today, after 75 years, Prime Minister Modi has taken away our independence,” said AAP supremo and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. “The votes of the people of Delhi hold no value anymore,” he further claimed. The Chief Minister also reference the Supreme Court’s order earlier in May that stated state governments should “have the power to work”. “Within a week, the orders of the Supreme Court were overturned, and amendments were brought,” he said. “This law states that the people can elect anyone, but the government will be controlled by the Lieutenant Governor and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a country where the PM doesn’t respect the SC, what could the future hold for that country?”
In his statement, the Delhi CM also attacked the BJP, saying, “These people have realised that defeating you is very difficult. In a straightforward manner, you lost four elections in Delhi. For 25 years, the people of Delhi have supported them. These people have attempted to steal power through the backdoor.” He also lashed out at Prime Minister Modi, saying: “Deciding what a peon of the country will do, is that the work for the country’s Prime Minister? You should govern at the centre, why are you meddling within Delhi?”
