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'BJP govt of bulldozer, by bulldozer, for bulldozer': Mamata Banerjee meets Arvind Kejriwal over AAP vs Centre row

by Trans World Features | @twfindia 23 May 2023, 02:33 pm

Kolkata : Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann met Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata during which the Bengal Chief Minister pledged support to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi against the Centre's move on officers' posting in the national capital.

Kejriwal is on a mission to unite the opposition over the tussle in the national capital, which is a union territory but with an elected government.

The Centre brought an executive order which overrides the Supreme Court judgement that favoured the Delhi government on transfers and postings of government officers.

If the Centre's bill to convert the Ordinance on Delhi bureaucrats' services is defeated in Rajya Sabha, "it will be the Semi-final before 2024," said the Delhi Chief Minister in Kolkata.

"This (the fight for control) is not just about Delhi. Even the West Bengal Governor does the same thing. Even (Bhagwant) Mann is alleging the same. The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister told me that the Governor sitting on a lot of bills," Kejriwal told the media during a briefing after the meeting.

Mamata Banerjee said this is the best chance to oppose the Bharatiya Janata Party government over the ordinance in the Rajya Sabha and appealed to other non-BJP parties to support this.

"The Supreme Court gave a strong verdict after so many years. But ultimately, the Central government will rule all states through ordinances and governors, letters... They don't want to respect the verdict," she added.

"What do they (the BJP) think? Are we their bonded labour? Are we their servants? We are worried that they may change the constitution and change the country's name to party's name. They want to bulldoze the constitution... It is a government of the bulldozer, by the bulldozer, for the bulldozer," Banerjee said.

Agreeing that the BJP "is a threat to the Constitution, Bhagwant Mann said, "If 30 Governors and a Prime Minister want to run the country, why spend so much on elections? If a Lieutenant Governor means a government, why are crores of people voting in elections?"

The ordinance passed late on Friday evening, is in direct contradiction with a recent order of the Supreme Court, which said the elected government should be at the helm of Delhi affairs.

Through an ordinance, the Centre created the National Capital Civil Services Authority to decide on postings and transfers.

Its members will include the Chief Minister, who shall be the Chairperson of the Authority, the Chief Secretary, and the Principal Home Secretary.

According to the new law, all matters are required to be decided by the authority based on the majority of votes of the members present and voting.

The Congress too said it will "oppose the Delhi Ordinance issued in parliament."

The Congress had earlier welcomed the landmark judgment of the Supreme Court, which said in a democratic form of governance, the power of administration must rest on the elected arm.

"If an officer is not responding to the government, the collective responsibility is diluted. If an officer feels they are insulated from the elected government they feel they are not accountable," the apex court had ruled.