Delhi first to be attacked, other states to see similar ordinances if not opposed, says Kejriwal

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday hit out at the Centre over its ordinance on control of services in the national capital, saying Delhi is the first to be "attacked" and similar ordinances will be brought for other states also if not opposed now.

Addressing the Aam Aadmi Party's "Maha Rally" at Ramlila Maidan, Kejriwal, who is also the party's national convener, claimed the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023, was an insult to the people of Delhi.

"When Prime Minister Narendra Modi says he does not accept the Supreme Court's decision, it is ''Hitler shahi'' (dictatorship). This black ordinance of Modiji says 'I don't accept democracy'. Now there will be a tyrannical rule in Delhi. Now the people of Delhi are not supreme, but the LG is. Whoever gets elected by Delhi residents, ultimately it is the Lt Governor who will run the city following the orders of PM Modi," Kejriwal alleged.

Braving the scorching heat, thousands gathered for the "Maha Rally" that was also attended by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann as well as senior AAP leaders and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal.

Kejriwal told the rally, "BJP leaders abuse me in public every day. I do not react... I'm busy working for the people. But this time around, they have insulted and abused the people of Delhi.

"They have snatched the Delhi residents' voting power and I will not tolerate this. The BJP and its leaders have literally slapped the people of Delhi with this ordinance and I will fight to ensure that the Centre repeals it," he said.

The Centre on May 19 promulgated the ordinance to create an authority for the transfer and posting of Group-A officers in Delhi, which the AAP government had called a deception with the Supreme Court verdict on control of services. Transfer and postings of all officers of the Delhi government were under the executive control of the lieutenant governor before the top court's May 11 verdict.

Kejriwal said, "It was exactly a month ago on May 11 that the Supreme Court ruled in our favour. But just eight days later, the Centre brought an ordinance to overturn the court ruling. It is basically PM Modi saying that he does not believe or follow court orders." The constitution makes it very clear that India will be a democracy and the voices of the people will be supreme, the AAP national convener said. "But the current prime minister wants to change this very basic nature of our constitution. His government has issued an ordinance that goes against this very basic principle." Kejriwal has been reaching out to leaders of non-BJP parties to garner their support to defeat the bill to replace the ordinance.

"Please don't think you are alone. You have the support of 140 crore people of India," the Delhi chief minister told the rally.

"Delhi is the first city to be attacked. This is Modiji's first strike. If this ordinance that snatches the rights of people of Delhi is not opposed, similar ordinances will be brought for other states such as Rajasthan, Punjab and Maharashtra," he claimed.

On the arrest of AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain, Kejriwal claimed it was aimed at stopping the work being done in Delhi. "But we have 100 Sisodias and 100 Jains. They will continue the good work." Sisodia, who was then the deputy chief minister of Delhi, was arrested in February over alleged corruption related to the now-scrapped liquor policy for 2021-22, while Jain was arrested in May last year in a money-laundering case.

The Delhi chief minister claimed that despite high inflation and unemployment in the country, the BJP-led Centre "has the time to actively obstruct the Delhi government's work".

"Last year, the prime minister even got the free medicines being given to the people of Delhi in mohalla clinics to be stopped. I wanted to provide CCTV surveillance in every street in Delhi to make it safe for women. But PM Modi got that project blocked through the LG Office.

"He also got the free yoga classes stopped for the citizens of Delhi. I want to tell him to run the Centre well and leave Delhi to us. He is unable to run the Centre but is focused on stopping our work in Delhi," Kejriwal alleged.

He said, "Modiji has been in power as Gujarat's chief minister and then as prime minister for a total of 21 years. Kejriwal has been in power for eight years. Despite having complete power, he has not done the kind of work I have done in the face of so many hurdles." Kejriwal said let the people of the country decide who has done more work.

"These people do not know how to work but they want to stop those who are working for the country. Modiji had all the powers at his disposal during his 21 years of governance. I did not even have that. Yet I have built more schools, hospitals, mohalla clinics and providing free electricity, education and healthcare," he said.

The chief minister alleged that the BJP-led Centre decided to bring in the ordinance since it was unable to stop the Delhi Government's work by arresting people.

"When such cruelty is being inflicted on the people of Delhi by the Centre, where are the seven MPs that the people of the city voted for in the last general election? All of them are enjoying their privileges. These people will never come out to fight for the rights of the people of Delhi. It is only Kejriwal, the son and brother of the citizens of Delhi, who will fight for them," he said.