Raghav Chadha Draws Mahabharata Parallels in Rajya Sabha Over Delhi Services Bill

New Delhi: In today's session of the Rajya Sabha, AAP MP Raghav Chadha fiercely criticized the Delhi Services Bill proposed by the BJP, denouncing it as a "political fraud," a "constitutional sin," and an "administrative logjam." During his address, Chadha labeled the Bill as the most "undemocratic, unconstitutional, and illegal" legislation ever presented in the House.

Referring to a recent Supreme Court ruling, Chadha emphasized that on May 11, 2023, a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court unanimously reaffirmed that civil servants in the Government of NCT of Delhi are accountable to the elected Council of Ministers led by the Chief Minister. This accountability, he highlighted, was essential for a democratic and accountable form of government.

Contrary to this principle, Chadha argued, the newly introduced Ordinance undermines this accountability structure by transferring control from the elected Government of Delhi to the unelected LG. He accused the Ordinance of aiming to reduce the Delhi government to its elected aspect – possessing the people's mandate but lacking the necessary governing mechanism to fulfill that mandate.

In his discussion of the constitutional implications, Chadha outlined five key points that render the Bill unconstitutional. He asserted that the Bill represents an abuse of ordinance-making powers, a direct challenge to the Supreme Court's authority, an erosion of federalism, and the dismantling of the triple chain of accountability. Furthermore, he contended that the Bill strips an elected government of its authority, placing it in the hands of bureaucrats under the LG. Consequently, he argued, the Bill symbolizes the dominance of unelected officials over the elected ones.

Calling attention to BJP's perceived inconsistency, Chadha accused the party of adopting a "Nehruvian" stance when it suits their agenda. He urged the BJP to embrace a "Vajpayeewadi" or "Advaniwadi" approach for Delhi, referencing the veteran leaders' historical struggle for statehood.

Continuing his speech, Chadha underlined the significance of the statehood demand in elevating the BJP's political profile and acknowledged the efforts of veteran leaders in this pursuit. He revealed that the former Deputy Prime Minister, LK Advani, had even introduced a State of Delhi Bill in 2003. Displaying manifestos and copies of the Bill, Chadha highlighted BJP's commitment to Delhi's statehood from 1977 to 2015. He criticized the current ruling party for disregarding the legacy of its veterans by not honoring their struggle when the opportunity arose. "Please fulfill the wishes of Advani ji," he said.

Drawing parallels between the historic war of Mahabharata Chadha recalled Ramdhari Dinkar’s famous lines. Chadha also ended his speech with Mahabharata mentioning Yuyutsu’s change of heart, and asked parties in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha for support against the Bill.