M K Stalin, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister accused the Centre of creating a crisis in the non-BJP-ruled states on Thursday. He said that the ruling DMK will strongly oppose the Central ordinance on control over administrative services in the national capital.
He also claimed that the Central Government was preventing duly elected governments from functioning independently.
“The Centre is creating a crisis for the Aam Aadmi Party and is preventing a duly elected government from functioning independently. Despite the Supreme Court verdict in favor of the AAP government, the Centre brought the ordinance. The DMK will strongly oppose it,” Stalin, who is president of the DMK, told reporters outside his Alwarpet residence here.
What did Stalin say about Kejriwal?
Stalin characterized Kejriwal as his “good friend” by getting flanked by Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi’s Chief Minister, and Bhagwat Mann, the Chief Minister of Punjab. He also said that the discussion between them on opposing the ordinance was fruitful.
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Stalin urged, “The Chief Ministers in the non-BJP ruled states and also the political party leaders should extend their support in opposing the ordinance.” He also said that this sort of discussion between the opposition parties is necessary to maintain democracy in the nation.
Kejriwal said that the DMK agreed to strongly oppose it and stand by the Aam Aadmi Party government and the people of Delhi to seek Stalin’s support by accusing the BJP-led government of bringing the ordinance nullifying the Supreme Court order.
He also said, “This ordinance should be collectively defeated in the Parliament as it is undemocratic, against the federal structure, and unconstitutional.”
He termed the coming together of opposition parties to defeat the ordinance as semi-finals to the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
Mann said, “I am facing similar problems in my state. I had to move the Supreme Court to call a Budget session because the Governor wasn’t allowing it.” He added, “We seek the DMK’s support to save democracy.”
On May 19, the Centre promulgated the ordinance to create sovereignty for the transfer and posting of Group-A officers in Delhi, which the AAP government had called deceit with the Supreme Court verdict on control of services.
The ordinance came a week after the apex court handed over the control of services in Delhi, excluding police, public order, and land, to the elected government. It seeks to set up a National Capital Civil Service Authority for the transfer of and penal proceedings against Group-A officers from the DANICS cadre.
Before the top court’s May 11 verdict, the transfer and postings of all officers of the Delhi government were under the executive supervision of the lieutenant governor.
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