Team News Riveting
New Delhi, August 3
The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, commonly known as Delhi Service Bill.
It will replace an ordinance promulgated for handling the transfers and postings of senior officers in the city government. The Delhi services bill was passed after a nearly four-hour-long debate that was replied to by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
The House was adjourned after the passage of the Bill even as the Opposition staged a walkout before the voting. The BSP however remain neutral and said that it did not stand with any side on the Bill.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah lashed out at the opposition while replying to the volley of allegations levelled by the opponents while opposing the Bill. “The opposition’s priority is to save their alliance. The opposition is not worried about Manipur…Everyone is talking about the rights of a state. But which state? Delhi is not a state but a Union Territory…The Parliament has the right to make laws for Delhi,” Shah said.
Shah slammed the AAP over the issue and said that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal does not intend to do service of the people. “Kejriwal’s intention is not to do service. The Opposition including Congress is standing with the AAP for alliance,” Shah said during his address.
The Home Minister appealed to the Opposition not to indulge in politics only for forging an alliance and said that they should think about Delhi and not the alliance.
“I appeal to all sides that supporting or opposing the ordinance only to get the support of a party for election, such politics should not be done. There are various ways of forming new alliances. I appeal to the Opposition MPs to think about Delhi and not the alliance,” he said.
Stressing that an alliance will not be of any benefit to the Opposition, Shah said that Narendra Modi will return as the prime minister despite the Opposition coming on a single stage.
Leader of Opposition Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury asked about the need for introducing the Bill. “Delhi is not the only state, if it is done in Delhi, it can be done in other states as well. If you feel that scams are being done in Delhi, was it necessary to bring in a Bill for it? You have the power of ED, CBI, why don’t you use them? What was the haste that you brought the Bill through ordinance? You could have brought in the Bill directly. What was the extraordinary situation then? You have to tell the House,” the Congress MP asked.
