Amit Shah Tears Into Opposition As Delhi Services Bill Sails Through Lok Sabha

Replying to the discussion on the Bill on control of services in Delhi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched a scathing attack on the Opposition.

The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, was passed by a voice vote in the Lok Sabha on Thursday (3 August).

The Bill replaces the ordinance on control of services in the national capital.

Earlier on 19 May, the Centre promulgated the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023 to set up a National Capital Civil Service Authority for transfer and posting of Group-A officers in Delhi.

The Chief Minister is one of the three members of the Authority, while the two others are bureaucrats.

The decisions by the Authority are to be taken by a majority and, in the event of a dispute, the matter will be referred to the L-G whose decision will be final.

Replying to the discussion on the bill, Shah said that the opposition is neither concerned about democracy, nor the country and its people, but only about saving its newly formed alliance.

Shah also asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will return with “complete majority” after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Referring to Congress supporting AAP on the Bill, he said that public bills are not important for the opposition, but it is very important for them that a small party does not leave the alliance.

“The alliance won’t be beneficial, because despite forming an alliance, Narendra Modi will return as PM with a complete majority. So don’t sacrifice public interest for the sake of the alliance. People can see through it all,” said Shah, reports Indian Express.

Shah's attack came as the Opposition parties, which have been protesting to press their demand for a statement by PM Modi on Manipur, were participating in House proceedings for the first time since the start of the Monsoon session.

The Union Home Minister said that the moment this bill came in the Parliament, the entire opposition came together and forgot everything about Manipur, democracy or riots. 

Shah said that the government is always ready to discuss Manipur in the House, and he himself is ready to answer on everything in the discussion.

He said that under Article 239 (AA)(3)(B) the Parliament has full power to make laws with respect to the Union Territory of Delhi or any part of it and  on any matter related to it.

Shah said that from 1993 to 2015, as per the established rules, the services were under the control of Central Government.

He said that whichever government was in Delhi from 1993 to 2015, its aim was to serve the public and if service is to be done then there is no need to quarrel.

Shah said that the Centre has the right to make laws, and also the right to make rules. He said that the need to make rules arose because the governance in Delhi was not being run according to the rules.

He said that the vigilance department of the Delhi government was targeted because many sensitive files are lying there, including the excise scam file, the file on illegal expenditure on the construction of the Delhi Chief Minister's new bungalow, the file related to investigation into the expenditure of Rs 90 crores on the propaganda of the ruling party.

He said that in the name of Feedback Unit, an independent illegal intelligence department was started by the Delhi government by spending crores of rupees and its investigation file was also under vigilance.

Apart from this, Rs 21,000 crore was due to BSES and BYPL, yet money was given to a particular company, the file of its investigation was also with the vigilance.

Shah said that the Assembly of Union Territory of Delhi is the only assembly in the country, which does not prorogue at all.

He added that from 2020 to 2023, it has called only for the budget session.

He said that they call very few cabinet meetings, 13 permissions for institutions like AIIMS, IIT-Delhi were kept pending by them, an act was made in 2016 to bring 5G technology, which was accepted by all the states of the country but they did not.

Shah said that crores of rupees were spent in the name of advertisement to organise the shopping festival and the CAG report has not been tabled in the Delhi Assembly since last two years.

He said that this bill is completely constitutional and has been brought only for the welfare of the people of Delhi and there is no political objective of the Central Government behind it.

Shah said that one should neither give speech nor vote in the House for vested political interests and objectives, but voting in the House should be done for the benefit of 130 crore people.