“Bona Duryodhana…”: BJP MPs slam AAP as Lok Sabha passes Delhi services Bill amid Oppn’s silence

New Delhi [India]: Amid the uproar by opposition parties over the passage of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, BJP MPs on Thursday slammed I.N.D.I.A bloc and AAP for opposing it.

The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which will replace an ordinance promulgated for handling the transfers and postings of senior officers in the city government. The Bill sailed through the Lower House of Parliament easily as the BJP-led NDA has the majority.

Speaking to media, Union Minister Anurag Thakur said that there was pin-drop silence in the Opposition after the Bill was passed.

“The manner in which the Union Home Minister spoke not only on the Delhi Bill but also tore down the atmosphere of confusion created by the Opposition, he also presented facts…There was pin-drop silence in the Opposition.

They could not answer anything because they had none. The truth came out before the country once again,” Thakur said.

BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri took a jibe at AAP invoking Mahabharata during his speech. He said that a “Bona (dwarf) Duryodhana” is ruling in Delhi and the Delhi services Bill is necessary to save Delhi from him.

He further hit out at AAP for allying with the I.N.D.I.A block. “In Mahabharata Duryodhana had Shakuni mama, here Duryodhana has dynast, corrupt people with him.”

Speaking about the Opposition’s silence during Amit Shah’s speech in Lok Sabha, Bidhuri said, “The opposition was embarrassed. They didn’t even feel the need to cast a vote on this Bill. People of the country are watching that you haven’t discussed on 9 consecutive bills. Where is the pain for your Manipur today?… If they were actually against the Bill, then they should have voted against the Bill but they walked out of vote. Hence a bill was passed unanimously.”

Joining his colleague, Union Minister and BJP MP Meenakashi Lekhi said that the Opposition staged a walkout as they did not have enough MPs to oppose the Bill.

“Congress knew that they didn’t have the numbers and this Bill will be passed. So, they walked out,” Lekhi said.

When asked about the suspension of AAP MP Sushil Kumar Rinku for the remainder of the monsoon session of Parliament after tearing a copy of the Bill and throwing papers at the chair, She said, “He was earlier a member of the Congress and now is an AAP leader. So, such behaviour is inherent in all their leaders”.

Reacting to the passage of the Bill, Delhi BJP MP Manoj Tiwari said “Arvind Kejriwal will have no respite in Delhi now”.

“The Delhi Ordinance Bill has been passed. The parties who are not in NDA also supported the Bill. The people of Delhi are heaving a sigh of relief. Arvind Kejriwal will have no respite in Delhi now. When Home Minister explained everything one by one, I think the Opposition realized its mistake and hence walked out,” Tiwari said.

Speaking to the media, BJP MP Kirron Kher said, “Did they (AAP) have any arguments, all the arguments were presented by Home Minister Amit Shah. Sheila Dikshit governed here for long, BJP governed here for long but they never created such a situation. They should know what did they did so that this had to be done.”

Union minister Amit Shah who led the debate in the lower House of the Parliament, said the Opposition parties belonging to the Indian National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A) came together to oppose the Bill for the sake of their alliance and not for “democracy, the country or its people”.

Shah said that since 1993, a proper system was running in Delhi as no one had any intention to usurp the power. He said that in 2015, a government came to power in Delhi, whose aim is not to serve, but to quarrel. He said that the issue is not related to right of transfer or posting, but they want to hide corruption by taking control of vigilance.

YSRCP and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) also supported the Bill which will be tabled in Rajya Sabha now where the NDA does not have the majority.

Earlier, moving the Bill for passage in the House, Amit Shah made a strong attack on the AAP government and said that the administrative arrangement in Delhi was working fine under Congress and BJP governments until a new party came to power in the national capital in 2015.

The ordinance on the control of services in Delhi was promulgated in May days after the Supreme Court verdict on the issue.

The Bill empowers the Central Government to make rules in connection with the affairs of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi including the functions, terms and other conditions of service of officers and employees.