Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia today accused the BJP-led Centre of trying to govern the national capital through “backdoor”, saying that the Narendra Modi government has cleared a proposal to give more powers to the Delhi Lieutenant Governor by amending the existing law. Reacting to reports that the Union Cabinet yesterday approved amendments to the Government of NCT of Delhi Act, which would be brought before Parliament for consideration and passage during the current budget session, Sisodia told a press conference that the move is “against democracy, Constitution and will of the citizens of Delhi”.

He reportedly charged that the central government has taken this move to “snatch power of Delhi’s elected government and give it to Centre-appointed Lieutenant Governor”. “The Delhi government will not have power to take its own decisions. The BJP wants to govern Delhi through backdoor as people chose not to elect them in three consecutive elections,” he said.

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Sisodia alleged that the Modi government had secretly worked to get the GNCTD (Amendment) Bill cleared to subvert the mandate of a democratically elected government headed by Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi. Terming the proposed amendment Bill as the “murder of constitutional democracy”, Sisodia said the central government wanted to “impede” Delhi’s development and progress by enhancing the LG’s power. He said the proposed amendment legislation gives more powers to the LG in addition to his existing powers on the police, land and public order.

“It is clearly mentioned in our Constitution that barring the police, land and public order, everything else falls under the ambit of an elected government in Delhi. In its reading of the Constitution, the Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court has also clearly distinguished the powers of the elected government and the LG. But the BJP, which has faced defeat thrice in the past, wants to govern Delhi through a proxy,” the deputy CM said.

“The L-G will use this Act to unnecessarily intervene in matters of public interest and impede the progress of Delhi. During the last five years, the LG has invariably hindered the decisions taken by the Delhi government. Due to this, many progressive schemes such as that of Mohalla Clinics, CCTVs, free electricity and water supply, school infrastructure improvement and others have been delayed,” Sisodia said.

He alleged that the BJP did not want world class education and health facilities, free electricity and water for the people of Delhi. That is why it was using “secretive and unconstitutional ways” to impede the progress of Delhi, he said.

“The BJP has not been able to provide basic facilities to the public in the BJP-ruled states. Rather than working on development in other states, it is trying to deprive the people of Delhi by giving unlimited powers to the LG in such an undemocratic manner,” Sisodia alleged.