New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday addressed a farmers’ rally in Haryana and lambasted the BJP-led Centre for ‘taking away his power’ by passing the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2021 (GNCTD Act) that granted Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal the executive right over the government’s decisions.
Recollecting the sacrifices made by farmers at Kishan Mahapanchayat in Jind, Haryana, Kejriwal said, “We salute the sacrifices of 300 people who died during the agitation (farmer’s protest). It is our responsibility that their sacrifice does not go in vain.”
“BJP-led central govt conspired to put farmers coming to Delhi into 9 stadiums to be converted into jails. But we were fortunate as the law stated that the Delhi Chief Minister holds the power to convert the stadium into jail,” the Delhi CM stated.
Last Sunday, President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent to the Centre’s contentious law extending more power to Delhi LG in an attempt to end the ambiguity in running the affairs in the capital city.
“Centre sent me a file and started pressurizing me by saying there will be a law and order issue. They even threatened me saying they will take away my power. I didn’t listen to them and rejected the file.
“They’ve introduced a bill in Parliament to punish Kejriwal. We faced repercussions for supporting the farmers’ protest. They are punishing us by passing the bill and handing power into the LG’s hands instead of the elected government. Did we fight freedom struggle for this?” Kejriwal asked the crowd.
The Delhi Chief Minister had earlier termed the passage of the amendment as a “sad day for Indian democracy”. Ministers and MPs, MLAs and councillors of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government had also staged a protest at Jantar Mantar to oppose the passage of the Bill.
The bill was introduced by Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy in Lok Sabha and passed in both Houses of the Parliament subsequently.