AAP Senior Leader and MLA Shri Dilip Pandey, expressed his sadness and shock over the recent events that obstructed the presentation of Delhi’s budget in the Legislative Assembly. In a press conference held earlier today, Shri Dilip Pandey stated, “The events witnessed today at the Legislative Assembly of Delhi were not just saddening and unfortunate, but also unprecedented and a matter of great shame for the country.”
The MLA said that Indian citizens take pride in India’s strong democratic values, which make it the largest and most vibrant democracy in the world. However, he viewed the recent incident where the cabinet of an elected government was not allowed to present the state budget on time as “a black day” in the 75 years of glorious democratic history of Delhi and the country. “This is a first-time occurrence and goes against the deep-rooted democratic values that India stands for,” he said.
Shri Dilip Pandey stressed that democracy ensures the accountability and responsibility of each organ. He explained that the Delhi government prepares a budget to fulfil the people’s hopes and aspirations and commits itself to deliver on its promises, but by preventing the budget from being presented in the Legislative Assembly, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government has shown that it has lost any regard for the serious and compelling nature of our democratic values.
He also pointed out how news was being secretly planted by Raj Niwas in the media, to hide and cover up the misdeeds of the Central Government by highlighting baseless shortcomings in Delhi’s budget. He questioned how any bureaucrat sitting in the Home Ministry can stop the budget of an elected government in an electoral democracy, and he accused it is happening at the behest of the BJP. He explained that the central government sat on Delhi’s budget for 10 days, and only sent questions to the Chief Secretary at the eleventh hour in order to stall the budget.
He said, “We believe that the elected government is supreme in electoral democracy, and this action undermines it. It raises serious questions on the status of electoral democracy in India if a babu can obstruct and undermine the budget of an elected government.”
Shri Dilip Pandey expressed his concern for the lakhs of employees under the Government of Delhi and their families who are completely dependent on their monthly salary for survival, and asked, “Should I tell them that the Central Government hates them so much that it cannot tolerate their hard-earned bread reaching their stomachs.”
The senior AAP leader highlighted the impact of the central government’s actions on the common people and the dangerous consequences of their political vendetta. He asked why the central government, led by PM Narendra Modi, is taking revenge for political differences by stopping the salaries of Delhi’s government and its departments and grinding the work being done for the people to a halt. He accused the central government of resorting to dictatorship and hooliganism and making the 2 crore people of Delhi suffer in the process. He further criticised the lack of action being taken against the officials responsible for this.
Shri Dilip Pandey also highlighted how the Chief Secretary and Finance Secretary sat on the query of the Ministry of Home Affairs, indicating a conspiracy by the central government. He demanded immediate action against the officials and questioned why the LG and central government were not taking any action.
The senior AAP leader said, “The process of making and passing the budget is seen as a celebration of democracy, to reinforce a feeling of hope, pride, and joy for the people of Delhi. However, the central government has clipped the wings of their hopes, strangling their wishes.” By dishonouring our 75 years of democratic tradition, the central government is seeking revenge on the people of Delhi, blinded by their arrogance and vengeance. The furnace of their ego has become so big that the interests of the public are also being thrown into it. This is a serious matter, and the people of Delhi deserve better.”
Reminding PM Narendra Modi that petty politics should never be above public welfare, he said, “If you are taking revenge for BJP’s defeat in the MCD elections, then punish AAP leaders through fake cases. But what have the two crore people of Delhi done to you?”
He concluded by saying, “The problems we face can be boiled down to three layers. Firstly, the budget of the elected government is being obstructed by bureaucrats at the MHA. Secondly, no action is being taken against the Chief Secretary for conspiring with the central government. And thirdly, the hooliganism of the Bharatiya Janata Party is evident throughout. This is a threat to our democracy, and it is a dark day for Delhi and our country.”
