Kejriwal asks opposition parties to clear stand on Centre's services ordinance for Delhi at Patna meeting

The Friday meeting of opposition parties has been called by Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has written to opposition leaders, asking them to discuss the Centre's ordinance on the control of administrative services in the national capital at the June 23 meeting of non-BJP parties and clear their stand on the matter.

Mr. Kejriwal, who is also the AAP national convener, asked the opposition leaders not to think of it as a "Delhi-centric problem" and claimed that if not resisted the BJP-led Centre may bring similar ordinances for other states too.

The Friday meeting of opposition parties has been called by Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar in Patna to chalk out a joint strategy to take on the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Mr. Kejriwal is also slated to attend the meeting.

In his letter, Mr. Kejriwal stressed the first thing to be discussed in the meeting should revolve around defeating the bill related to the Centre's ordinance in the Rajya Sabha.

"The Centre has carried out an experiment in Delhi by bringing this ordinance. If it is successful, it will bring similar ordinances in non-BJP states and snatch away the powers with respect to subjects in the concurrent list," he said in the letter dated June 20.

"The day is not far when the prime minister will run 33 states through lieutenant governors and governors," Mr. Kejriwal said, adding, "I request all parties to clear their stand on the ordinance in the meeting and also discuss the strategy to defeat this in parliament." The AAP national convener asked the opposition parties to look at the issue in a holistic manner and not think of it as a "Delhi-centric" problem. Mr. Kejriwal claimed that the ordinance was "very dangerous for democracy".

“I have studied this matter thoroughly. It would be wrong to assume that such an order can only be imposed in the context of Delhi because it is a half-state. Through a similar order, the Central government can strip the rights of any full-fledged state mentioned in the concurrent list.”