‘Insult To People Of Delhi, BJP Should Respect Democracy’: Kejriwal Slams LG’s Decision On Lawyers’ Appointment

Asserting the BJP “should respect democracy”, Kejriwal said the people of Delhi ‘chose the AAP government with a historic majority”.

Arvind Kejriwal

New Delhi: Lambasting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal’s decision to reject a panel of lawyers picked by the Delhi government for cases against the farmers protesting against the Centre’s three new farm laws, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said such interference in everyday work is an “insult to the people of Delhi”.

Asserting the BJP “should respect democracy”, Kejriwal said the people of Delhi ‘chose the AAP government with a historic majority”.

"Overturning decisions taken by the Cabinet is an insult to the people of Delhi. The people of Delhi chose the AAP government with a historic majority and defeated the BJP. Let BJP run the country, let AAP run Delhi. Such interference in everyday work is an insult to the people of Delhi. BJP should respect democracy," he tweeted in Hindi.

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The Chief Minister’s outburst came as the Lieutenant Governor earlier rejected a list of lawyers picked by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government and approved a team selected by the Delhi Police.

The Lieutenant Governor had in a letter to the Delhi government said that the matter had been referred to President Ram Nath Kovind, but since it is an urgent matter, exercising his powers, 11 lawyers named by the Delhi Police were appointed as public prosecutors in the cases.

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia also expressed his ire over the move and asked what is the point of an “elected government of Delhi”.

“I want to ask what is the interest of the Centre in choosing lawyers? If they have to choose the lawyers also, what is the point of the elected government of Delhi?” he asked alleging the BJP-led Centre is “using these powers in nearly every matter”.

The AAP Cabinet had earlier on Monday decided that lawyers picked by Kejriwal’s government would become public prosecutors of the Delhi Police in the cases filed against the farmers over the January 26 violence and vandalism.