Hitting out at AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit on Tuesday reiterated that the Centre’s Ordinance on Delhi services was “right” and the former was opposing it because he had to save himself from corruption cases.
“When I said that the ordinance (Delhi NCT services) is right and that he (Arvind Kejriwal) was trying to save himself as they had corruption cases against them. If he had any issue in administering Delhi, he could have done something in the education department or health department. He doesn’t have to do anything with the Delhi administration, he was just trying to save himself by opposing the ordinance,” Sandeep Dikshit said.
This is not the first time that the son of former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit is launching barbs at Kejriwal.
Earlier this month, Dikshit blamed Delhi Chief Minister, after the Bill to replace the ordinance for control of services in Delhi was passed in Parliament, 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.
The draft legislation on Delhi services was passed by the Parliament this month after the Rajya Sabha secured its passage by a comfortable margin.
Congress was among the Opposition parties, which extended support to the AAP in its bid to thwart the passage of the Bill in Parliament, after the two parties came together as part of the grand Opposition bloc — I.N.D.I.A.
The Centre had earlier promulgated an Ordinance overturning a Supreme Court judgment vesting control of services in the AAP government.
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.
On August 7, the Upper House passed the Bill that empowers the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi to control Group A services in Delhi, including on matters relating to appointments, transfers and postings.
The Bill was passed after a division in which 131 MPs voted in favour of the legislation and 102 against it.