Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday launched the Aam Aadmi Party’s campaign demanding complete statehood for the national Capital. Kejriwal, who spoke at an event at the Indira Gandhi stadium, said his party would submit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi 10 lakh letters from Delhi residents in support of the demand, NDTV reported.
The Delhi Assembly adopted a resolution calling for full statehood during a special session on June 10. At the time, Kejriwal had promised to campaign for the Bharatiya Janata Party if it meets the demand. “Unless he delivers on the promise [to grant full statehood to Delhi before the 2019 elections], he would again fail to win a single seat from Delhi,” the chief minister said on Sunday, referring to Modi.
“It’s not just the Aam Aadmi Party’s fight... All parties should come together to support this demand,” DNA quoted Kejriwal as saying. “We will convene an all-party meeting soon to seek support.”
The chief minister also demanded that the state government be consulted before a lieutenant governor is appointed. “Till Delhi does not become a full state, no lieutenant governor should be appointed by the Centre without the Delhi government approving the name for appointment,” he said.
Kejriwal claimed that with full statehood the government would be able to build universities, regularise unauthorised colonies within the span of a month, and make the city “crime-free” by taking charge of the Delhi Police, The Indian Express reported. “Delhi has, historically, always been enslaved – first under the Mughals, then under the British and now under the lieutenant governor,” he said.
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