New Delhi: Opening another potential flashpoint with the Centre, the AAP government on Wednesday released a draft bill on full statehood to Delhi, seeking to bring police, land and bureaucracy under its control, and invited suggestions from the public till June 30.
An all-party meeting will be held on the issue, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said while urging rivals BJP and Congress to “rise above differences” and went on to quote from old manifestos of BJP wherein the party had promised full statehood.
“The BJP has struggled the most on the issue. They have consistently raised it. We are merely taking their resolve forward by inviting public opinion on this draft,” Kejriwal told a press conference here, when asked about the AAP’s action plan if the draft is rejected by the Centre. Kejriwal said that he will write letters and also meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP President Amit Shah and Congress President Sonia Gandhi to garner support for the draft bill, which keeps the high-profile NDMC area, out of its jurisdiction. Kejriwal said after June 30, the final version of the draft would be prepared and a resolution would be passed by the Delhi Assembly to this effect.
“We will forward the resolution to the Centre which in turn will have to bring Constitutional Amendment,” he said.
“The draft has been put on the Delhi government’s website. Through its passage, we seek to fulfill the dreams of Congress and BJP. We should rise above party lines. A special session of the Assembly may also be called for passing the resolution,” the CM said, flanked by his deputy Manish Sisodia.
To buttress his point, Kejriwal quoted from BJP manifestos from 1993 till 2014 and statements made by its leaders including Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju.
“L K Advani had tabled the Delhi Statehood Bill in Parliament in 2003. It was referred to a Standing Committee chaired by Pranab Mukherjee which had backed the suggestions. But for some reason it got lapsed. Even Congress has spoken out for statehood in the past. (PTI)
