Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Aug 3: India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, the incumbent prime minister Narendra Modi’s most favourite whipping boy who has always been blamed for all the ills facing the country, was suddenly on Thursday found to be the rescuer by his home minister Amit Shah quoting him extensively to justify the BJP government’s decision to bring the Delhi services bill.
Nehru became the focal point of an interesting exchange between Shah and the Congress’ leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury who said he could not believe his ears that the union home minister was actually praising the first prime minister who has always been blamed by the BJP government even for its own shortcomings.
Amidst Shah’s address, Chowdhury got up with a smile commenting that he couldn’t figure out whether it was day or night when he heard Shah “repeatedly praising” the country’s first prime minister and the Congress party. The BJP and the prime minister Modi has often held Nehru up as a symbol of the Congress’ alleged misrule, which it blames for many of the problems ailing the country today.
Shah used statements by Nehru to buttress his arguments in favour of the Delhi services bill during the discussion in the Lok Sabha and quoted the first prime minister extensively to claim that he and other leaders at the time of the independence did not favour a separate state status for Delhi.
“When we came to the House today, it felt good that our Amit Shah ji was repeatedly praising Nehru and the Congress party. I thought to myself, what am I seeing? Is this day or night? I thought I should run up to Mr Shah and put a sweet in his mouth. Because praise for Nehru and the Congress from his mouth was a happy surprise for me,” Chowdhury said.
He was then interrupted by Shah who said he had not praised Nehru. “I have not praised Pandit Nehru. I have simply quoted what he has said. If they want to consider this praise, I have no objection to that.”
Chowdhury immediately retorted, “You take the support of Nehru whenever you need it. If you had done this all through, we wouldn’t have had to see (the events in) Manipur and Haryana. This is Delhi and it is our dil (heart).”
He said the opposition has doubts because if a bill taking away the elected government’s powers can be brought for Delhi, the centre may “attack” other states too. “If you think scams are happening in Delhi, you have so many agencies like ED and CBI. Was it necessary to bring such a bill because of the alleged scams,” Chowdhury asked.
Chowdhury’s reference was to an earlier claim by Shah that the Centre was forced to bring the bill to maintain the administrative control on Delhi because of the alleged rampant corruption by the Aam Aadmi Party government in the national capital city.
Speaking in favour of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, Shah had lashed out at the opposition and said they should not put their newly formed INDIA coalition above what is best for Delhi. “I appeal to parties to not support all the corruption taking place in Delhi just because you are in an alliance. Because despite the alliance, Modi will win the election with a full majority,” the Home Minister said.
Introducing the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023 in the Lok Sabha, seeking to replace the ordinance for control of services in Delhi, he said, “This ordinance refers to the order of the Supreme Court which says that the parliament has the right to make laws on any issue related to the National Capital Territory of Delhi. There are provisions in the constitution that allow the centre to make laws for Delhi.”
He had also claimed that India’s founding fathers, like Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, C Rajagopalachari, Rajendra Prasad and BR Ambedkar were against the idea of Delhi getting the status of a full state.
In a fiery critique of the AAP government, Shah argued that administrative affairs in Delhi had operated smoothly under various governments until the party’s ascent in 2015. The AAP government was keen to have control over institutions like the vigilance commission only to hide the corrupt practices it was indulging in like the renovation of the chief minister’s bungalow costing over 46 crores, Shah said.
The ordinance concerning control of Delhi’s bureaucracy, known as services, was issued in May, to override a Supreme Court verdict that ruled in favour of the elected AAP government led by Arvind Kejriwal. The bill to replace the ordinance empowers the central government to establish rules related to the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi’s affairs, including the functions, terms, and conditions of service for officers and employees. The bill states that the central government is empowered to make rules on matters related to the tenure, salaries, transfers, or posting of officers in Delhi. It also gives the Centre the power to decide on any action or probe against officers.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has sought the opposition’s support against the bill, particularly in the Rajya Sabha, where the government does not have a clear majority. However, with the support of three key regional parties including the BJD, YSRCP and the TDP, who are not part of the INDIA opposition bloc, the bill is expected to comfortably sail through the upper house as well.
Meanwhile, the Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar failed to broker a truce between floor leaders of the House on Thursday as the logjam over discussion on Manipur violence continued to mar the proceedings in the Upper House.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi and Leader of Rajya Sabha Piyush Goyal met Congress President and Rajya Sabha Opposition leader Mallikarjun Kharge ahead of the meet. However, no conclusion was evidently reached as the Opposition walked out of the House once again when the proceedings resumed after lunch. Meanwhile, the Upper House continued to discuss and pass Bills in the absence of the Opposition.