Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday claimed the bill earlier passed by the Lok Sabha last week to amend The Govt of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill that replaces an ordinance issued in March does not carry a single provision which was not there in the legislation during the Congress regime.
The Bill was passed by a division of 131 vs 102 while those from the Opposition did not seek division on their amendments during the voting.
The automatic electronic machines for recording the division of votes didn't work and so Secretary General P C Mody asked the staff to distribute the division paper slips to members, delaying the process. Former PM Manmohan Singh came in a wheel-chair to vote.
Former PM Manmohan Singh | ANI
Amit Shah assured the House that the Bill has nothing new except what was in the original bill of 90s and the Modi government has taken care to ensure the Centre's authority on the national capital as a principle. The House was adjourned for the day at 10.05 PM.
Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar left the chair after Amit Shah's reply to let deputy chairman Harivansh carry out 20 minutes of voting, including the mandatory division of votes.
In an hour-long reply to over six hours of debate, with the Opposition parties trying to censure the ordinance, he asserted that right from first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Delhi remained the union territory. He assured the House that no such bill will be brought to bring control to the states. Change your thinking on it, he pleaded. All amendments by the Opposition were rejected by a voice vote.
He said only transfers and posting of Delhi government are taken over by the Home Ministry. He said this system was in force over the years and no Delhi government opposed it. He said the Bill does not take over anybody's power. He said the Centre had to act because of a circular by the Delhi government in 2015.
Shah: Bill is not to nullify the Supreme Court order
Shah said the Bill is not to nullify the Supreme Court order that the transfer and posting power shall remain with Delhi government. Referring to Congress member Singhvi, a senior advocate, raising objection to an amendment, he said that amendment was actually brought by the previous Congress government. He said the Supreme Court had not given any order that is claimed to be defied, but it allowed Parliament to enact the concerned laws.
He said Parliament had to change the Constitution many times to deal with the Supreme Court orders and that should not be treated as a defiance. He said the government has not brought the bill to protect the prime minister (a reference to restore membership of Indira Gandhi). He ridiculed the shouting Congress members to remind how a large number of political leaders were sent to jail during the emergency.
Shah pointed out that the Supreme Court did not allow stay on the Ordinance issued by the government. He objected to the misuse of social media to twist the Centre's decision on the vigilance department. He challenged the Congress to help pass the Bill since it has the same provisions which were brought by the party in 1993.
Shah attacks Kejriwal
The home ministry asserted that Kejriwal will ditch the Congress and end their coalition efforts. He narrated how the Trinamool Congress was born out of the Congress, how Nitish Kumar was opposed to the Congress and Lalu Prasad. He said total zeros won't make an achievement in the 2024 general elections when Narendra Modi will be back as the Prime Minister. The BJP benches reacted with slogans of "Modi, Modi."
Opposition leader Mallikarjun Kharge objected to Amit Shah projecting the 2024 elections and commenting on the opposition instead of talking on the Bill under debate. Amit Shah thanked him for reminding him of traditions in the House.
He was quite angry at the disturbances created by interrupting him with questions. Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar pulled up Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien and others. He said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was upset since the Vigilance Department started a probe into huge expenses in his official residence. He disclosed how Kejriwal tried to remove the files with the Vigilance Department.
Some members objected to their names figuring in the select committees proposed by the opposition members and Deputy chairman Harivansh agreed to the Home Minister for a probe into this issue.
On the Opposition's daily demand to discuss the Manipur violence, he assured the discussion will take place on August 11 as he is busy with the no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha from August 8 to 10.
