Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee during a meeting on May 23, Twitter/@AamAadmiParty
Extending support to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal against the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on May 23 urged all opposition parties to Opposition to the ordinance in the Rajya Sabha
Along with Mr Kejriwal, Ms Banerjee said the ordinance provided a “huge opportunity” to all opposition parties to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The Trinamool Congress president said if the opposition could stop the ordinance, it would send a strong message to the people. “On behalf of our party, we have decided to oppose the ordinance in the Rajya Sabha,” he said.
Emphasizing that Delhi government employees are subordinate to the Delhi government, Ms. Banerjee said that Such ordinances are dangerous for the country, “We fear that they will change the name of the country and name it after their party. We are afraid that they will change the constitution.
Mr Kejriwal said the Supreme Court order that the Delhi government can make laws and run civil services in the national capital came after an eight-year-long battle and was overturned by the BJP government in eight days.
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He said, “They have made a mockery of democracy.” The AAP national convenor said that the BJP is trying to disturb the elected government of the opposition parties in three ways; Either by buying legislators, or by using central investigative agencies and thirdly by using governors and ordinances.
“This is not my fight alone. It is a fight of 140 crore people. It is a fight against the arrogance of the BJP that if people do not vote for the BJP, they will not allow the opposition government to function.” In many states like Bengal and Punjab, governors are trying to interfere in the functioning of the state governments.
Mr Kejriwal said former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia was manhandled by the police while he was being produced before a Delhi court. “This is not the way to behave with a Deputy Chief Minister. The Chief Minister of Delhi said that he is not guilty but an accused. Mr Sisodia was arrested by the CBI earlier this year In a matter relating to alleged irregularities in the formulation and implementation of the Excise Policy of Delhi. Ms Banerjee also said that those who had come to hand over the summons to Abhishek Banerjee also came at 2.30 am and spoke in a threatening tone.
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Before meeting the Chief Minister of West Bengal Delhi Chief Minister met Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar In Patna on the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023 brought by the Central Government on May 19. On 11 May, a constitution bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said that the Delhi government can make laws and administer civil services in the national capital. Prior to this meeting, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy had met Ms Banerjee at the state secretariat and discussed the issue of opposition unity for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. It was