Control of services: Delhi first to be attacked, similar ordinances coming for other states, says Arvind Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Pic/PTI

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday hit out at the Centre over its ordinance on control of services in the national capital, saying Delhi is the first to be "attacked" and similar ordinances will also be brought for other states.

Addressing the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) "Maha Rally" at the Ramlila Maidan, party's national convener Arvind Kejriwal said the Centre's ordinance was an insult to the people of the city, reported PTI.

The ordinance says that there will be no democracy in Delhi, he alleged.

"There will be dictatorship in Delhi and the LG (lieutenant governor) is supreme. People can vote for whoever they want, but the Centre will run Delhi," Arvind Kejriwal said.

"I have been travelling across the country and I want to assure the people of Delhi that they are not alone. The 140 crore people of India are with them," he said.

Delhi is the "first city to be attacked" and they will bring such ordinances for Rajasthan and other states too, the AAP leader claimed.

On the arrests of AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain, he said they were arrested in order to stop works in the national capital. "But we have have 100 Sisodias and 100 Jains. They will continue the good work," the chief minister said.

While former deputy chief minister Sisodia was arrested in February over alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped liquor policy for 2021-22, Jain was arrested in May last year in a money laundering case.

"I want to ask that PM (Narendra) Modi has been in power as Gujarat chief minister and then as prime minister for long, and Kejriwal has been in power for eight years, who has done more work for people," he said.

He further said that his party's movement against corruption was successful similarly the movement to save Constitution will also be successful.

"12 years ago, we had gathered in the same Ramlila Maidan today to fight against corruption, I bow down to this platform, it is a holy platform. Today, from this platform, we have gathered to remove an arrogant dictator from the country. As the movement against corruption was successful, similarly this movement to save the Constitution will be successful," he said.

The Delhi Chief Minister thanked Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi for 'fighting the battle of Delhiites' in the Supreme Court.

"The Supreme Court gave a decision in favor of the people of Delhi. I thank Abhishek Manu Singhvi from this platform for fighting the battle of Delhiites. Within a week of the Supreme Court order, the Prime Minister overturned it. For the first time in 75 years, such a Prime Minister has come," added Kejriwal.

He further said, "Today democracy is ending in the country, this is called dictatorship. The Supreme Court said in its decision that India is a democracy, the people choose a government, and the government has the right to work. But Modi ji says he does not accept the order of the Supreme Court and he has changed that decision through an ordinance. Modi ji's ordinance says that now there will be no democracy in Delhi, dictatorship will continue, Prime Minister says that he will run the government through LG."

CM Kejriwal alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders kept abusing him every day but he has been busy with his work and will keep rejecting the ordinance.

"While implementing the constitution on January 26, 1950, Baba Saheb had said that the public would be supreme, but Modi ji has blown away the constitution. BJP leaders abuse me every day but it doesn't matter to me, I am busy with my work. But Modi ji has slapped the people of Delhi with the ordinance. I will keep rejecting this ordinance," the AAP convenor said.

AAP organised a mega rally at Delhi's Ramlila ground on Sunday against the Centre's Ordinance on control over administrative services in the national capital.

Delhi Chief Minister and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal, his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann, Delhi Minister Gopal Rai and party MP Sanjay Singh addressed the rally.

The event was also attended by Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal, who stressed on opposition unity to fight the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

(With inputs from PTI and ANI)