Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has written to Opposition leaders, asking them to discuss the Centre's ordinance on the control of administrative services in the national capital at the June 23 meeting of non-BJP parties and clear their stand on the matter.
Mr. Kejriwal, who is also the AAP national convener, asked the Opposition leaders not to think of it as a "Delhi-centric problem" and claimed that if not resisted the BJP-led Centre may bring similar ordinances for other states too.
The Friday meeting of Opposition parties has been called by Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar in Patna to chalk out a joint strategy to take on the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Mr. Kejriwal is also slated to attend the meeting.
In his letter, Mr. Kejriwal stressed the first thing to be discussed in the meeting should revolve around defeating the bill related to the Centre's ordinance in the Rajya Sabha.
"The Centre has carried out an experiment in Delhi by bringing this ordinance. If it is successful, it will bring similar ordinances in non-BJP states and snatch away the powers with respect to subjects in the concurrent list," he said in the letter dated June 20.
"The day is not far when the prime minister will run 33 states through lieutenant governors and governors," Mr. Kejriwal said, adding, "I request all parties to clear their stand on the ordinance in the meeting and also discuss the strategy to defeat this in parliament." The AAP national convener asked the Opposition parties to look at the issue in a holistic manner and not think of it as a "Delhi-centric" problem. Mr. Kejriwal claimed that the ordinance was "very dangerous for democracy".
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“I have studied this matter thoroughly. It would be wrong to assume that such an order can only be imposed in the context of Delhi because it is a half-state. Through a similar order, the Central government can strip the rights of any full-fledged state mentioned in the concurrent list.”
"Hence, it becomes extremely crucial for all parties and individuals to come together and ensure that it is not passed in Parliament under any circumstances," he wrote.
Mr. Kejriwal asserted that if a Bill related to the ordinance is introduced in Parliament, the Opposition parties need to come together and defeat it.
"If this Bill gets passed in Parliament, it will be the end of democracy in Delhi. The people of Delhi will have no power to choose the government they desire. The central government will directly govern Delhi through the Lieutenant Governor. Regardless of which party the people elect, they will have no power. After Delhi, democracy will be abolished in all states one by one," he added.
The AAP national convener thanked all Opposition parties for standing in solidarity with the citizens of Delhi and firmly opposing the "unconstitutional" ordinance promulgated by the Centre.
The Centre had on May 19 promulgated an ordinance to create an authority for the transfer and posting of Group-A officers in Delhi, with the AAP government calling the move a deception with the Supreme Court verdict on control of services.
The ordinance came a week after the Supreme Court handed over the control of services in Delhi, excluding police, public order and land, to the elected government. It has set up a National Capital Civil Service Authority for the transfer of and disciplinary proceedings against IAS and DANICS officers.
Transfer and postings of all officers of the Delhi government were under the executive control of the lieutenant governor before the May 11 verdict of the apex court.
Following the ordinance, Mr. Kejriwal has been reaching out to leaders of non-BJP parties to garner their support against the ordinance so that the Centre's bid to replace it through a Bill is defeated when it is brought in Parliament.
