The Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday trained guns against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over the Centre’s ordinance which reinstated the power to the Delhi Lieutenant Governor on the transfer postings of officers in the national capital. Addressing a press conference, senior leaders of the saffron party fired salvo at the Aam Aadmi Party national convenor accusing him of abusing the Central government.
Union minister Meenakshi Lekhi alleged that the ordinance has been mired in controversy because Kejriwal wants to take control of corruption in the national capital.
"The reason why this (Centre's ordinance to create an authority for transfer and posting of Group-A officers in Delhi) has turned into a controversy is that the Delhi CM wants control on corruption," she said during the press conference.
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Lok Sabha MP Manoj Tiwari targeted the Chief Minister over his meeting with the Opposition leaders seeking support against the ordinance in Rajya Sabha.
“On being asked about working hand in glove with the people whom he once perceived as corrupt, Kejriwal replied that he is doing it to defeat Modi and Amit Shah,” Tiwari said.
“The journalist again asked if he would defeat them (Centre) by siding with corrupt people. Kejriwal accepted, saying it was his priority,” he added.
BJP MP Harsh Vardhan also attacked Kejriwal saying he “only wants to do politics and hurl abuse at the Central government and the ruling party in the country.”
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Spokesperson for the saffron party, Prem Shukla targeted Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as well who met with his Delhi counterpart today saying, “Nitish Kumar should give up on his dreams to become PM and focus on Bihar, that has been pushed into anarchy.”
The Congress party also did not go easy on Kejriwal over the issue as party leader Ajay Maken said that Kejriwal should follow “Sheila Dikshit model of engaging with officers respectfully, holding dialogues with them rather than mistreating them, and persuading them to work for city's advancement.”
On Friday, the Centre brought an ordinance to create a National Capital Civil Service Authority that will have the power to recommend the transfer and posting of all Group A officers and officers from Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar, Lakshadweep, Daman and Diu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli (Civil) Services (DANICS) serving in Delhi.
The ordinance came after a five-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court on May 11 held that the Delhi government has “legislative and executive power over services” in the national capital.