The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill by a voice vote.
The Bill gives the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Central government control over the postings and transfers of bureaucrats in Delhi.
The Centre had promulgated an ordinance on May 19 to create the National Capital Civil Service Authority in order to administer the transfer and posting of bureaucrats serving the Delhi government. The ordinance nullified a Supreme Court verdict passed on May 11 stating that the Aam Aadmi Party government in the national capital has legislative power over bureaucrats in all departments other than public order, police and land.
The Bill, if passed by the Rajya Sabha, will replace the May 19 ordinance.
On Thursday, as voting for the Bill took place, members of the Opposition INDIA alliance walked out of the House to register their protest.
Aam Aadmi Party’s lone MP, Sushil Kumar Rinku, was suspended for the remaining part of the Monsoon Session after he came to the Well of the House, tore some papers and threw them in the direction of Speaker Om Birla, according to PTI.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, during the debate on the Bill, said that the Opposition was not concerned about the country or its democracy, but only about how to save its alliance.
“For them, a Bill in the interest of the people is not important,” Shah said. “They have all come together so that a small party that is part of their alliance does not go away.”
Shah claimed that India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and first Home Minister Vallabhbhai Patel had also opposed giving Delhi the status of a full state.
“In 2015, a political party came to power that was only interested in fighting, not serving the people,” he said. “Their concern is not to secure the rights of transfers and postings [of bureaucrats], but to take control of the vigilance department in order to hide their own corruption.”
The Congress’ leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury claimed that the Bill was all about snatching the rights of an elected government. He alleged he wanted to seek some clarifications from Shah, including on the Manipur issue, but was not allowed.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal accused the BJP of backstabbing the people of the Capital.
“BJP always promised to give full statehood to Delhi,” Kejriwal wrote in a tweet. “In 2014, Modi himself said that on becoming the prime minister, he would give full statehood to Delhi. But today these people stabbed the people of Delhi in the back. Don’t believe anything said by Modi from now on.”
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