Sandeep Dikshit Accuses Arvind Kejriwal of Impeding Centre’s Delhi Services Bill

New Delhi: Congress Leader Blames Arvind Kejriwal For Centre’s Delhi Services Bill

Departing from the party line, Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit on Monday blamed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal
for the Delhi Services Bill, saying his running power tussle and bitter exchanges with the Centre resulted in
the draft legislation on the control of services in the national capital.

Background

• The draft legislation on Delhi services was passed by the Parliament on Monday.
• It was passed after the Rajya Sabha secured its passage by a comfortable margin.
• Sandeep Dikshit, son of former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit, made a video message blaming Arvind
  Kejriwal for the Bill.

Congress Leader’s Statement

In the video message, Sandeep Dikshit stated that the Centre would never have tabled such a Bill if Arvind
Kejriwal had not been in a running feud with the Centre over the control of services.

“There was a time when both the Centre and previous governments in Delhi had mutual control over
services in Delhi. Everything was running smoothly. But unfortunately, since Arvind Kejriwal assumed office in
2014, he indulged in politics. He got embroiled in a power tussle with the Centre to secure his political
interests using foul means. This is why the Centre came up with this Bill. Otherwise, there was no need for
such a Bill in Delhi,” Mr Dikshit said.

He added that with the passage of the Bill, the AAP government will now resort to “politics” instead of
working for the people of Delhi.

Criticism of Arvind Kejriwal

• Ahead of the introduction of the Bill by Home Minister Amit Shah, Sandeep Dikshit stated that Mr Kejriwal
  has “fooled” the people of Delhi.
• Congress was among the Opposition parties supporting the AAP to thwart the passage of the Bill.
• The Centre had earlier promulgated an Ordinance overturning a Supreme Court judgment vesting control of
  services in the AAP government.

The Bill and its Passage

The National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which was passed by the Lok Sabha last week,
replaces the Ordinance for the control of services.

The Bill empowers the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi to control Group A services in Delhi, including appointments,
transfers, and postings.

The Bill was passed after a division in which 131 MPs voted in favor of the legislation and 102 against it.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated
feed.)