New Delhi: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee once again extended her support to CM Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government over the matter of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
In a letter addressed to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Mamata Banerjee wrote: "I stand with you in your principled opposition to the Centre's devious, anti-democratic and anti-Constitution move to disempower the Delhi government and reduce the status of Delhi's Chief Minister to a subordinate to the Lieutenant Governor".
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The West Bengal Chief Minister termed the centre's bill as a "surgical strike on the Federal structure". The Bill violates the unambiguous verdict by a five-judge Supreme Court bench in 2018, which upheld the pre-eminence of Delhi's elected government, she noted.
The TMC supremo goes on to launch a direct attack as she wrote, "Both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have not been able to stomach the humiliating defeat the BJP suffered... They want to govern by proxy".
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has thanked his Bengal counterpart for the "solid support" through a tweet.
As Aam Aadmi Party amps up its protest against the Union government's National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill 2021, how the matter will proceed and who ultimately wins the power tussle remain to be seen.