Former CM and Shivsena (UBT) Chief Uddhav Thackeray, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann during the press conference held at Matoshree in Bandra on Wednesday. , Photo Credit: EMMANUAL YOGINI
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Wednesday that the recently issued… ordinance to controlThe number of services in the national capital shows the Narendra Modi government’s lack of faith in the Supreme Court judgement.
“By bringing the Delhi ordinance, the BJP has made it clear that they are Disregarding the decision of the Supreme Court. It will be like a semi-final in Rajya Sabha. If this bill (ordinance) fails to be passed in Parliament, the Modi government will not come back to power in the 2024 elections,” he said.
Mr Kejriwal, along with his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann and other Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders, met Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray at his residence ‘Matoshree’ in Mumbai to discuss his party’s fight against the Centre. support can be sought. Ordinance.
Read also: Explained | How will the new ordinance affect ‘services’ in Delhi?
He accused the Center of using the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate to topple state governments, and cited the collapse of Mr Thackeray’s government as an example. The Delhi Chief Minister said, “Shiv Sena has promised to support the people of Delhi if the ordinance comes in the Rajya Sabha in the form of a bill.”
Along with Mr Kejriwal, the Shiv Sena leader, whose party has three seats in the Rajya Sabha, criticized the central government for bypassing the apex court’s decision. “We have come together to defeat the forces that go against democracy and save the country. Instead of labeling themselves as opposition parties, it is appropriate to consider the Center as the true ‘opposition’ as their stand appears to be contrary to the principles of democracy and the Constitution,” said the former Maharashtra chief minister.
Mr Kejriwal said the ordinance on control of services in Delhi meant the Modi government did not have faith in the Supreme Court. “The meaning of the ordinance is ‘how can the Supreme Court decide against us [the Centre]’?” he said, citing BJP’s failed ‘Operation Lotus’ in Delhi as the reason behind bringing the ordinance.
Supporting the AAP leader, Mr Thackeray said the Supreme Court order was important for democracy and, “If our train misses this time, there will be no democracy in the country.” We have come together to save the country and the Constitution.”
When the AAP national convenor met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata on Tuesday, she too said the ordinance provided a “huge opportunity” to defeat the BJP ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
“The Centre, through the ordinance, took back all the powers given by the Supreme Court. In a democracy, power should be vested in the elected government as it is accountable to the people,” Mr Kejriwal said.
Without explicitly mentioning the Prime Minister, the Delhi Chief Minister criticized the arrogance and selfishness of those in power, saying, “When someone becomes very egoistic, he becomes very selfish. Such a person living with such arrogance and selfishness cannot run the country. This fight is not for Delhi alone, but it is a fight for democracy, constitution and federalism.
He said BJP leaders and ministers misbehaved with judges and termed retired judges as “anti-national”. “They have given a message that we will bring an ordinance and overturn the Supreme Court decisions,” Mr Kejriwal said.
Reacting to the meeting, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis said Mr Kejriwal was meeting Mr Thackeray and vice versa, indicating that the BJP had the mandate of the people. “They believe in us and such meetings will not make any difference in Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and even in Maharashtra. It doesn’t matter if you come along. Such experiments have been done by the opposition in the past as well, but they failed.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also reacted on the same lines.
The AAP leader will meet Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar on Thursday.