Delhi Services Bill: Cong, AAP Say INDIA United To Oppose Centre's Move As BJP Confident Of Passage In RS

Amit Shah's Delhi Bill sparks a verbal clash between BJP, AAP, and Congress as Rajya Sabha debates the amendment on Monday (August 7).

As Union Home Minister Amit Shah prepared to introduce the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, in the Rajya Sabha on Monday (August 7), political tensions escalated among the BJP, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and Congress. The bill aims to replace a May 19 Ordinance issued by the Centre, concerning the control of services in the national capital, and it was passed by the Lok Sabha despite the Opposition's walkout during the proceedings earlier this week.

In response to the bill's introduction, both the Congress and the AAP have taken action by issuing whips to their respective Rajya Sabha MPs. The AAP issued a three-line whip mandating the presence of all its MPs in the House on August 7 and 8.

AAP Minister Gopal Rai voiced his concerns over the bill, accusing the central government of trying to forcibly strip Delhi of its rights. He urged all opposition parties to unite against the bill and safeguard democracy.

"The central government is attempting to take Delhi's rights by force. Tomorrow, all opposition parties will join forces to protest this bill," Rai was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. 

"I appeal to those who love their country to support the Delhi government in preventing the Centre from getting this Bill passed in Rajya Sabha. To protect democracy, we must all speak out against this Bill," he said. 

BJP Leader Ramesh Bidhuri, on the other hand, expressed confidence that the bill would be passed in the Rajya Sabha. He defended the Lok Sabha proceedings, claiming that the opposition had walked away without presenting any valid objections to the bill. Bidhuri also chastised Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, accusing him of failing to fulfil his responsibilities.

"The bill will undoubtedly be passed in the Rajya Sabha tomorrow. It (the bill) was not passed without debate; the opposition walked out of Lok Sabha because they had no arguments against it," Bidhuri was quoted as saying by ANI. "How can Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal admit that he has only called one cabinet meeting in a year, this is on the record?" He asked.  

"They have no valid reasons to oppose the bill; they just want to enjoy making mansions out of people's money and hiding scams like the spirits one. The Bill will be passed in Rajya Sabha as well, and it is because of the I.N.D.I.A bloc's helplessness that they must support Kejriwal in order to save this bloc," he added. 

Congress leader Pramod Tiwari strongly opposed the bill, calling it a dangerous assault on the country's constitution. He accused the Centre of infringing on the rights of the elected government and emphasised the importance of keeping the central and state governments' responsibilities and roles separate.

"The I.N.D.I.A. has taken a firm stance on this bill; we oppose it. This is a dangerous assault on the country's constitution," Tiwari told ANI. "If you do not win the elections, you will seize the powers of the people's elected government. This is a different type of dictatorship. In a federal structure, the centre and the states have distinct responsibilities and work areas," he said.  

"The Centre in Delhi wants to deprive the government of all rights. The opposition bloc I.N.D.I.A. and the Congress party have made it clear that we will not allow the Centre to pass this bill in Rajya Sabha," he added. 

"When CM Arvind Kejriwal ran for office, he knew that Delhi had been designated as a UT rather than a state." The powers of a state and UT differ...He wishes to demonstrate to the public that he was unable to work due to a lack of rights. This is false," BJP MP Parvesh Sahib Singh told ANI. 

"This right was never granted to a Delhi chief minister 20 years ago. Even former chief minister Sheila Dixit did not have such a right. He keeps bringing up the same issue because he wants people to believe he can't work because he doesn't have these rights, which is completely false," he added. 

Senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the Opposition, is expected to start the debate in the Rajya Sabha. Singhvi had previously represented the AAP government in Supreme Court hearings in Delhi on administrative service control.

The bill was passed following a nearly four-hour debate in the Lok Sabha, during which Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed various concerns. The central government issued an ordinance on May 19 granting control of services in Delhi to the elected government led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, except in matters of police, public order, and land.

The contentious issue of control over Group-A and DANICS officers in the Delhi government has been a longstanding source of conflict between the AAP-led Delhi government and the Centre.