AAP National Convenor and Delhi CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal’s campaign against BJP’s ‘anti-Delhi’ ordinance has garnered support from leaders across the nation. After JD(U), RJD, TMC, Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP, BRS, DMK and the Left Bloc, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) led by Jharkhand CM Shri Hemant Soren extended its support to the campaign on Friday. The decision was made following a meeting between Shri Arvind Kejriwal and Shri Hemant Soren in Ranchi, where they discussed the detrimental impact of the ordinance on democratic principles and the federal structure of the country. Expressing his stance, CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal emphasised the need to protect democracy and stated that Jharkhand Mukti Morcha will stand with the people of Delhi and help save democracy. He further criticised the Modi Government’s move, accusing it of suppressing the democratic rights of the people. He labelled the ordinance as an attack on the country’s freedom and federal structure, vowing to rally all political parties and unite the nation against this regressive move. He called upon the Congress party to decide whether they stand for democracy and the constitution or align with Prime Minister Modi’s government. He also expressed his intent to reach out to every BJP MP, appealing for their support in this fight for freedom and democracy.
While, Shri Hemant Soren voiced his concerns over the ordinance, asserting that it infringes upon democracy and poses a threat to the country’s federal structure. He criticised the BJP Government for their contradictory actions, emphasising that while they speak of a federal structure, their deeds suggest otherwise.
Echoing the sentiments of the Jharkhand CM and the Delhi CM, Punjab CM Sardar Bhagwant Mann emphasised the need for unity in opposing the ordinance and underscored the far-reaching implications of the government’s decision. AAP Senior Leaders including Rajya Sabha MPs Shri Sanjay Singh and Shri Raghav Chadha and Delhi Cabinet Minister Ms Atishi were also present in the meeting along with the senior leadership of JMM.
Delhi Chief Minister Shri Arvind Kejriwal thanked the Jharkhand Chief Minister Shri Hemant Soren for his warm welcome to the AAP delegation in Ranchi and said that the visiting leaders were welcomed with a lot of love and affection. The Delhi CM said that the two leaders had a long discussion on matters of public interest and said that the Jharkhand CM is like a brother to him.
He highlighted how the people of Delhi were cheated by the PM Narendra Modi-led Central Government last month. He also pointed out that the people of Delhi were locked into an eight-year long battle with the Centre and finally tasted victory on 11th May when the Supreme Court ruled in its favour. “The Central Government has previously referred to Delhi as a Union Territory and snatched the powers that the constitution provides to the elected government. However, after a long battle, on 11th May the Supreme Court passed a revolutionary order in the favour of the people of Delhi. However, within a week, on 19th May,
as soon as the Supreme Court went on vacation, the Centre promulgated an ordinance at 10 pm that nullified the order of the court. The Centre essentially has said that it will not let any other government work in Delhi. It has challenged the people of Delhi and said that if you vote for another government, we will not let them function. This I think is an insult to the people of Delhi,” he said.
Shri Arvind Kejriwal said that this ordinance will now be required to be presented in the monsoon session of the Parliament as a Bill. He said that the BJP has a majority in the Lok Sabha, but this is not the case in the Rajya Sabha. “In the Rajya Sabha the BJP only has 93 MPs out of a total of 238. If all the non-BJP parties come together then we can defeat this Bill. This is not a matter that is only related to Delhi, but it is about the federal principles of the country. This time it is Delhi, but next time something similar can happen in Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Punjab or any other opposition-ruled state. How can the Centre just bring an ordinance and snatch the rights of the people of Delhi,” he said.
Pointing out the essential features of the Constitution of India, the Delhi CM said that it is the people that vote in the favour of a government and then the government is duty bound to work for its people. “But without having any of the powers that the constitution gives to the state government, how can it function? What the Centre is doing at the moment is that it is trying to change the constitution for its benefit. It is the duty of every citizen of the country to protest against this unconstitutional ordinance. Therefore, at the moment, we are going around the country and trying to gather support to oppose this in the Rajya Sabha. We have been receiving overwhelming support for our campaign across the country,” he said.
The Delhi CM thanked his Jharkhand counterpart Shri Hemant Soren and his party, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, and said that the JMM has said that it will fight for the rights of the people of Delhi. “Shri Hemant Soren has assured us of his support in the Rajya Sabha and outside it. He has categorically said that the JMM will firmly oppose this unconstitutional ordinance at every level. I would like to thank him for this. I further appeal to all the other political parties to join this fight for the people of Delhi,” he said.
Jharkhand CM Shri Hemant Soren said that the way the BJP-led Central Government is working against the people of the country in several states, it is there for the people to see. He further pointed out that this attempt of the Centre defeats what is usually referred to as the strength of our country – “Unity in Diversity”. “The Central Government talks about the federal structure of the country, but its actions are quite the opposite. It is there for everyone to see that all the non-BJP ruled states seem to be facing the same kind of problems. This is a cause of serious concern, and somewhere it is also the responsibility of each citizen of this country, to fight for the safety of our constitution,” he said.
Shri Hemant Soren pointed to the inauguration of the new Parliament of the country recently and said that on the same day, just a couple of metres away from the “Temple of Democracy” some unfortunate incidents took place.
He further added that the acts of the Central Government is not just an attack on the non-BJP ruled states, but it is also an attack on the residents of the state. “It is an attack on every citizen of this country. The JMM and other political parties opposed to this attack will sit together in the upcoming days and we will fight the BJP and ensure that it cannot harm the democratic principles of the nation,” he said.
The Jharkhand CM further said that the unconstitutional actions of the Centre also betray the sacrifices made by the brave freedom fighters of India, most of whom went on to lay their lives for the freedom of the nation. “Therefore I firmly believe that the citizens of our country also need to unite to fight against these illegal and unconstitutional methods deployed by the BJP-led Central Government,” he said.
He also added that it is in its attempt to save democracy and federalism in the country that Delhi CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal and the AAP delegation, after visiting other states in the country have today come to Jharkhand. He further said that Delhi is the nerve centre of the country as people from various states such as Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Kerala etc reside in it. He added that the actions of the Centre go on to affect everyone in the nation and it particularly harms the vulnerable sections of the population even more.
He concluded by saying that the campaign started by Shri Arvind Kejriwal is a very important one as he is fighting to save democracy in the country. “I wish that politically as well as constitutionally every step that can be taken to save democracy is taken. I wish success to Shri Arvind Kejriwal in his campaign and hope that he goes on to win this battle,” he said.
Punjab CM Sardar Bhagwant Mann thanked his Jharkhand counterpart Shri Hemant Soren for extending his support to the visiting AAP delegation. He said that the JMM’s support will go a long way in fighting this important battle to save democracy in the country.
He said that the AAP delegation has not come here to Jharkhand with any personal problem, but it has come here to save democracy in the country. Referring to the recent incident in which protesting wrestlers went to Haridwar, he said, “Although this time some people managed to stop the wrestlers from throwing their medals into river Ganga, but the way the country is being led by the BJP government, it will not be long before the ashes of democracy will be thrown into the holy river,” he said.
He pointed out that the BJP is troubling the non-BJP states in the country either by issuing unconstitutional ordinances or through the office of the Governor. “The Governor of Punjab was not allowing the state government to summon the Budget session of the state legislative assembly. It was only after we went to the Supreme Court were we allowed to summon the session. How can the states function like this?” he said.
