'BJP Doesn't Care About SC....Went Against Vajpayee, Advani': Raghav Chadha on Delhi Services Bill

Aam Aadmi Party leader Raghav Chadha on Monday tore into the BJP-led Centre for introducing the Delhi Services Bill, and said that it has not only “insulted” the Supreme Court, but has gone against its own leaders like Atal Bihari Vajpayee and LK Advani who wanted a full fledged statehood for the national capital.

Speaking in the Parliament, Chadha also claimed that the saffron party only introduced the ordinance because it was unable to secure victory in Delhi assembly elections in front of AAP.

“In 25 years, BJP lost six state elections, even in 2015 and 2020. They know they can’t any win elections in 25 next years,” Chadha said, adding that this was being done because AAP secured heavy mandate in assembly elections.

The bill, has been a contention point between the Delhi state government and the centre, will set a legacy in which it could take away powers from those states ruled by Opposition parties, and give it to the Centre, the AAP leader said.

He claimed that the saffron party has been promising the people that they would give full-fledged statehood to Delhi.

“Vajpayee and deputy PM Advani brought a bill to give Delhi the status of state. The BJP National Executive decided to give statehood to Delhi,” he said.

He then directed his comments to Home Minister Amit Shah, saying “don’t be Nehruvadi, be Advaniwadi.”

Chadha accused the BJP of “violating federalism” and changing the constitution, without even passing a Constitution Amendment Bill.

He also said that demolishes the triple chain of accountability, in a way that the bureaucracy will not listen to the chief minister or the deputy chief minister,  but they will obey the lieutenant governor.

Chadha further accused that the saffron party “doesn’t care what the Supreme Court says.”

“What crisis came that you had to go against a Supreme Court order. This is an insult of the country’s top court,” he said.

What is the Delhi Amendment Bill?

National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill 2023 aims to replace the existing ordinance regarding control of services in Delhi.

The bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on Thursday after a five-hour debate amid a walkout by the opposition parties.

The bill aims to replace the ordinance issued in May, granting control of the bureaucracy in the city administration to the elected government after the Supreme Court’s ruling.

The Aam Aadmi Party has taken up the contentious bill as a rallying point, uniting opposition parties in their opposition to it in the Rajya Sabha.

What was the Delhi Ordinance?

The Centre had promulgated an ordinance to create a National Capital Civil Service Authority for the transfer of and disciplinary proceedings against Group-A officers from the DANICS cadre.

The ordinance came a week after the Supreme Court handed over the control of services in Delhi to the elected government, excluding those related to police, public order and land.

As per the ordinance, all matters required to be decided by the Authority shall be decided by the majority of votes of the members present and voting. However, in case of difference of opinion, the decision of the Lieutenant Governor shall be final.