KCR urges PM Modi to withdraw ordinance on Delhi service matters

Hyderabad, May 27 (IANS) Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Saturday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to withdraw the ordinance issued to nullify the Supreme Court order which granted control of services in the national capital to the Delhi government.

Terming the ordinance an insult to the people of Delhi, he announced that the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) would oppose in Parliament the Bill to be brought by the Centre to replace the ordinance.

KCR said this while addressing a joint press conference with his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann after they called on him to seek BRS' support against the ordinance passed by the Centre designating Delhi Lt Governor as the administrator who will have the final say on the postings and transfer of all bureaucrats serving the Delhi government.

"We demand the Prime Minister to withdraw the ordinance on his own. Don't make an issue unnecessarily. Let the government elected by the people of Delhi work," said KCR.

He alleged that by issuing the ordinance the Modi government insulted the people of Delhi as the government there is mandated by the people.

KCR slammed the Modi government for not honouring the Supreme Court order. "The journey is towards the emergency. In fact, this is worse than the Emergency," he said, adding that the Centre should come to its senses and withdraw the ordinance.

Stating that people of Karnataka taught a lesson to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), KCR said the people in other states will also teach a lesson to it. He remarked that India reacts as and when something goes wrong.

"If the government of India does not honour the Supreme Court judgment, what will be the fate of the country? Where do you want to take the country," asked the BRS leader.

He alleged that the Modi government at the Centre was creating problems for the non-BJP governments in the states by different means like stopping the release of Central funds and misuse of the office of the Governor.

Thanking KCR for the support, Kejriwal recalled that AAP formed its first government in February 2015 and in the same year in May, the Centre brought notification and snatched the powers of the government in service related matters.

"For eight long years, we ran around the courts fighting against this. When the Supreme Court's larger bench gave the order 5-0 in favour, the Centre issued an ordinance to nullify it. When the PM does not obey the Supreme Court order, where will people go for justice," he asked.

The AAP leader said the Prime Minister was sending a message to people that whatever government they elect, he would not allow it to function.

"This is happening across the country. They are toppling the non-BJP governments by either buying the MLAs or pressurising them by using ED and CBI against them or by misusing governors," he said.

Calling this a dangerous situation, he said their fight was not just for Delhi but for the entire country and for saving democracy.

"We are going around the country seeking support from various parties. We want to defeat the Bill when it comes to Rajya Sabha. There are 238 MPs in Rajya Sabha and BJP has only 93 MPs. When opposition parties unite to defeat the Bill, this will be a semifinal before 2024 elections," he said.

Bhagwant Mann said the AAP government in Punjab also had to knock the doors of the Supreme Court when the governor refused to call the budget session.