Arvind Kejriwal government had allowed hotels and weekly markets to re-open under Unlock3
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia wrote to Amit Shah Saturday to ask him to overrule Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal's decision to reject two measures proposed by the Arvind Kejriwal government as part of the third phase of easing the COVID-19 lockdown.
In his letter Mr Sisodia said the Delhi government was preparing to re-send these decisions - the re-opening of hotels and weekly markets (the latter on a week's trial) - to the Lieutenant Governor's office on Tuesday and asked Mr Shah to ensure that they were passed this time.
"Coronavirus cases are steadily decreasing in Delhi and the situation is under control. Cases, however, are increasing in Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka, but over there hotels and weekly markets are allowed to function," Manish Sisodia pointed out.
"It is inconceivable why a state that did a better job of bringing the coronavirus outbreak under control is being forced to shut down its economy," he said, noting that wage earners from five lakh families had been sitting idle for the past four months due to the lockdown.
"I request that you change this decision and instruct the Lieutenant Governor to immediately approve the Chief Minister's proposal," Mr Sisodia wrote.
On Friday Mr Baijal, who represents the centre and chairs the Delhi Disaster Management Authority, ruled that hotels and weekly markets could not be re-opened.
Sources in his office told news agency PTI the decision had been taken because the COVID-19 situation in the national capital was still "fragile" and the threat is "far from over".
The ruling AAP (Aam Aadmi Party), which has frequently clashed with the centre and Mr Baijal over the Covid health crisis, demanded non-interference in its decisions. The party pointed out that Delhi was now only 11th on the list of states with most active infections and that it was time to focus on the economy.
"The centre derives sadistic pleasure by inflicting pain and misery on Delhi and undermining the democratically elected government," party spokesperson Raghav Chadha said.
Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, Mr Baijal has scrapped a number of orders pitched by the Delhi government.
Last month, he cancelled a controversial decision to reserve hospitals (except those run by the centre) for residents of Delhi. He also reversed a decision to test only those people with symptoms, saying asymptomatic cases and high-risk contacts would also be tested.
