Stalin says DMK will strongly oppose the Union govt’s Delhi Ordinance; asks other parties to do the same

Tamil Nadu CM M.K. Stalin said that the DMK will strongly oppose the Ordinance promulgated by the BJP-led government at the Centre, to effectively nullify the SC judgement, which said Delhi’s elected government and not its Lieutenant-Governor had powers over managing the services of the bureaucrats.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president M.K. Stalin on Thursday said that the DMK will strongly oppose the Ordinance promulgated by the BJP-led government at the Centre, to effectively nullify the Supreme Court judgement, which said Delhi’s elected government and not its Lieutenant-Governor had powers over managing the services of the bureaucrats.

Explained | How will the new Ordinance affect ‘services’ in Delhi?

Addressing the media after a meeting with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who had come to Chennai to seek DMK’s support against the Ordinance, Mr. Stalin appealed to Chief Ministers of other States and leaders of national parties to oppose the Ordinance when the Union government attempts to pass it as a Bill in the Parliament.

He said the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not allowing Delhi’s elected government to function independently and was continuously troubling the government, its Chief Minister Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The “healthy discussion” he had with Mr. Kejriwal was towards protecting democracy. “Such coordination is needed to protect democracy. That is my wish,” he said.

When asked about the coming together of Opposition parties against the BJP ahead of the 2024 election, Mr. Stalin said both he and the Congress party had expressed inconvenience over the date [June 12] on which Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has planned a meeting of the Opposition leaders. He said he has requested that the date be changed. He added that Mr. Kejriwal has also assured to discuss with Mr. Kumar regarding the change of date.

Mr. Kejriwal said he was grateful to Mr. Stalin for his warm welcome and assurance to oppose the Ordinance. He said the Ordinance was unconstitutional, undemocratic and against the federal structure. This was perhaps the first time in India that the Union government passed an Ordinance to nullify a SC judgement, issued by a five-judge Bench.

He also said with every passing day, he was becoming more confident that they will be able to defeat the Bill in the Parliament. “He [Mr. Stalin] has assured us that the DMK will stand by the elected government of the AAP, the people of Delhi, and help us in defeating this Bill and vote against it,” Mr. Kejriwal stated.