GNCTD Bill undemocratic, unconstitutional, impermissible: AAP MP Raghav Chadha

New Delhi: In a scathing attack on the BJP-led government, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha described the The Government Of National Capital Territory Of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023 as the epitome of undemocratic and illegal legislative actions taken by the BJP government in the history of Indian Parliament. He argued that this bill was an outright assault on the people of Delhi, an affront to the Indian Judiciary, and a menacing threat to the future of our federal system.

Chadha expressed concern that the BJP's underlying message to the public is that if a non-BJP government is elected, it will be unable to function smoothly. This, in his view, contradicts the huge mandate given to Arvind Kejriwal's historic majority by Delhi's two crore people. The ordinance also stands in direct contradiction to the honorable Supreme Court's ruling in favor of the elected government of Delhi, which affirmed that all powers, including those related to the bureaucracy, lie with the Arvind Kejriwal government. However, the BJP government rapidly overturned this verdict within 8 days and now wants to cast doubt on the integrity of the judiciary.

The AAP MP further warned against the dangerous implications of this move. He saw it as a testing ground for future experiments aimed at destabilizing non-BJP state governments across the country. The potential replication of such ordinances and mechanisms in other regions, he said, could jeopardize the Indian constitution and undermine democratic principles.

Chadha emphasized the BJP's political objectives for targeting the Delhi government. The BJP has continually failed to form a government in Delhi despite multiple attempts over the last 25 years. The people of Delhi have repeatedly elected non-BJP chief ministers, first with Sheila Dixit's Congress government from 1998 to 2013, and then with Arvind Kejriwal's landslide victory since 2013. As a result, the BJP has become politically irrelevant in Delhi, leading to their desperate attempt to wrest power from the Aam Aadmi Party and render the Delhi government ineffective through this ordinance.Finally, Chadha urged all MPs who value the constitution and democracy to unite against this ordinance and vote no in both houses of parliament.