Passing of GNCTD Bill 2021 an insult to people of Delhi: Kejriwal

TIL Desk/National/New Delhi/ The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was passed by the Lok Sabha on Monday, providing a major setback to the Delhi government ruled by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

The GNCTD (Amendment) Act, 2021 was introduced to enhance powers of the Lieutenant Governor (LG), vis-a-vis the elected government. It may be recalled that the AAP government and Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal have been at loggerheads on the issue of constitutional power since 2015.

The AAP has been opposing the Bill since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led Centre said it will present it in the Lower House of Parliament. To oppose the Centre’s move, the AAP had protested at Jantar Mantar on March 17.

Leading the protests, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had accused the BJP of trying to run the Delhi government by proxy. Kejriwal had then raised a few questions: What would happen to the people of Delhi? What would happen to the Chief Minister? Why were the elections held, then?