Amit Shah tears into AAP over opposition to NCT bill, slams I.N.D.I.A. for supporting AAP

Union Home Minister Amit Shah criticises the opposition I.N.D.I.A. alliance for supporting AAP in opposing the Govt of NCT of Delhi Bill, saying that the politics of supporting or opposing legislation just to get someone’s support is not right. Urging the opposition parties to “not sacrifice the interests of the people for the sake of an alliance,” Amit Shah said during the Lok Sabha’s discussion of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023 that the Centre is permitted under the Constitution to pass legislation for Delhi.

“I request the members of all the parties that such politics should not be done to support or oppose any bill to win elections, to get someone’s support,” Shah said in the Lok Sabha on 3 August. 

The union home minister further charged that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Delhi government’s objective was to only dispute and not serve. It is notable that AAP has opposed the Delhi services bill and has asked other opposition parties to support it for the same. He added that the Delhi administration sought to “hide their corruption” and “the bungalow’s truth” not control over transfer assignments, which is the real reason behind the disagreement over the bill.

Amit Shah said that the administrative arrangement in Delhi was working fine under various governments until AAP came to power in 2015. The Gandhinagar MP accused, “In the year 2015, a party came to power in Delhi whose only motive was to fight, not serve. Chief ministers from multiple parties held office in Delhi. There were coalition and one-party governments, but no one had any trouble serving the people and the country.”

He said that the aim of the party is not to work for people but to “fight” with the Centre. He further continued, “The problem is not getting the right to do transfer postings, but getting control of the vigilance department to hide their corruption like building their bungalows”.

#WATCH | In the year 2015, a party came to power in Delhi whose only motive was to fight, not serve…The problem is not getting the right to do transfer postings, but getting control of the vigilance department to hide their corruption like building their bungalows: Union Home… pic.twitter.com/pelULwGMgH

— ANI (@ANI) August 3, 2023

Additionally, he urged opposition MPs to consider Delhi when voting for the bill rather than their alliance. “I appeal to the opposition MPs to think about Delhi, not their alliance,” he urged, saying, “I request the members of all the parties that such politics should not be done to support or oppose any bill to win elections, to get someone’s support,” he urged.

Asserting that this legislation is good for the country, the Union Minister said that it should be opposed or supported for the good of the country or Delhi, not for the sake of the alliance. “There are many ways to form new alliances. Bills and Acts are for the good of the country. It should be opposed or supported for the good of the country or Delhi… One should not think in a way that we have to support while being in opposition because we have to form an alliance,” he said.  

Amit Shah added that opposition was not going to benefit from opposing the bill, saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going to become PM with a full majority. “Therefore, do not sacrifice the interests of the people for the sake of this alliance. The public is watching everything,” he added. 

Amit Shah presented the Delhi services bill, also known as the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, before Parliament on 1 August. The legislation will take the place of an existing ordinance that empowers the Central Government to make rules in connection with the affairs of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi including the functions, terms and other conditions of service of officers and employees.

Arvind Kejriwal’s AAP and the centre have been at odds over the ordinance. “The Constitution gives Parliament all right to bring any law with respect to Delhi,” the Bharatiya Janata Party stalwart declared when introducing the bill in Parliament. It suggested that the centre would be in charge of decisions on suspensions and inquiries involving officials in the national capital.

The INDIA bloc parties would oppose the measure, according to the AAP, which dubbed it the “most undemocratic” piece of legislation that sought to consolidate authority and limit state governments’ sovereignty.