'Be Advani-Vadi': Raghav Chadha Takes Dig At Amit Shah, Calls Delhi Services Bill 'Politcal Fraud'

Raghav Chadha said that the BJP has sent a clear message that it would not obey the Supreme Court's orders and aims to "encroach" on the AAP government's administrative power in Delhi.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Raghav Chadha on Monday opposed the disputed Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, claiming that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party had abandoned its commitment to grant Delhi statehood. During a heated discussion in Rajya Sabha, Chadha said that the bill to replace the ordinance on transfers and postings of top officers in the Delhi government is a "political fraud, constitutional sin, and will create an administrative stalemate."

After the bill was passed in the Lok Sabha, AAP's MP Chadha stated: "I have stood up to speak on behalf of 135 crore people of the country, not on behalf of 3 crore people of Delhi. Rarely before today would an unconstitutional, illegal piece of paper have been brought through a bill."

He claimed that the BJP is responding to the fact that it has lost numerous successive elections in Delhi. In essence, they are breaking federalism and amending the Constitution without having to pass a Constitutional amendment bill.   

He also mentioned former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and previous Home Minister LK Advani for their efforts in providing full statehood to Delhi, and urged current Union Home Minister Amit Shah to follow in their footsteps. "The BJP has destroyed the 40 years of hard work of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lal Krishan Advani ji to make Delhi a full state," he stated. 

"I want to tell Amit Shah ji, don't be Nehruvadi, be Advaniwadi," he added.

The AAP Rajya Sabha MP went on to say that the BJP has sent a clear message that it would not obey the Supreme Court's orders and aims to "encroach" on the AAP government's administrative power in Delhi. He also said that the Bill will suffer the same fate as the Centre's 'fetish' for introducing other laws such as the Farm Bill or the Land Acquisition Bill.

Claiming that this has never occurred in the history of the Indian Parliament, Chadha said: "This Bill seeks to undermine the Collective Responsibility Principles of Parliament. It ruins a three-tiered accountability system. The Centre has violated the Constitution. Officers will no longer be required to listen to the CM or Ministers. This measure seizes power from an elected government by granting the Lieutenant Governor superceding powers."