Delhi services bill a 'political fraud', 'constitutional sin' aimed at taking away powers of elected govt: AAP MP Raghav Chadha

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Delhi services bill is a «political fraud» and «constitutional sin» aimed at taking away the powers of an elected government in the national capital, AAP leader Raghav Chadha said in Rajya Sabha on Monday. Participating in a discussion on the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, Chadha termed it «the most anti-constitutional, illegal, undemocratic legislation ever presented» in the House. «I am starting today not representing two crore people of Delhi but 135 crore people of this country,» he said.

Invoking the Mahabharata, he said his party seeks justice in the House. The bill will replace an ordinance promulgated by the Centre for handling the transfers and postings of officials in the Delhi government. Calling the bill a «political fraud» and one which would lead to an administrative logjam, he noted that it is against the spirit of federalism and encroaches on the rights of the states.

Chadha said it was the BJP which fought hard to get statehood for Delhi from 1977 to 2015. He also cited the BJP's election manifestos demanding statehood for Delhi. «This bill is an insult not only to democracy and the Constitution but also to (BJP leaders) Lal Krishna Advani, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Madan Lal Khurana, Sushma Swaraj and their 40 years of struggle,» Chadha said.

The real reason for bringing this bill is that the BJP has lost six elections in Delhi in the last 25 years, he said. «They know that they won't be able to win in the next 25 years as well. So they are trying to destroy the state government,» Chadha said.