Kejriwal claims Centre targeting him for public welfare schemes

New Delhi: A day after he was questioned by the CBI in the excise policy case, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday accused the Centre of targeting him and his government for providing several welfare schemes, including free electricity and good health facilities, to the people of the capital.

Speaking at the one-day session of the Assembly, Kejriwal again questioned the education qualification of the prime minister without naming him.

The session passed a resolution attacking the prime minister and the BJP. The 70-member Delhi Assembly has 62 AAP MLAs and eight from the BJP.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP have long tried to contain the fast rise and expansion of the Aam Aadmi Party and growing popularity of its national convener Arvind Kejriwal,” the resolution stated.

During his speech, Kejriwal alleged that demonetisation was implemented to end corruption and terrorism, but the “country was destroyed”.

The resolution that was passed by the Delhi Assembly also invoked a quote of French poet Victor Hugo —“No force on earth can stop an idea whose time has come”.

The resolution also stated: “Prime Minister Narendra Modi with all his might and agencies will never be able to stop this idea.”

“This House observes that people across India are joining Arvind Kejriwal and becoming a part of this silent revolution to Make India No 1,” it added.

The Delhi chief minister also raised issues like inflation, rising fuel prices, unemployment and corruption faced by the country and asked the people that if such problems plagued the country, they “needed to check whether their ruler was properly educated”.

Narrating a tale in the Assembly, Kejriwal also said, “There was a small state in the country where there was a chief minister. The chief minister was educated and took good care of his people. He provided free electricity to the people.”

Indicating there is a need for a change of guard in the country, Kejriwal said: “Moral of the story is that if there are problems like inflation then you need to check if the ruler is educated or not and replace him with someone educated.”

Kejriwal later in a tweet reacted to arrest of his party leader Gopal Italia in Gujarat and claimed that the BJP was so rattled by AAP’s “grand performance” in the western state that it had only one goal — to finish the party and send its leaders to jail.

On Sunday, Kejriwal was questioned for nearly nine hours by the CBI in the excise policy case, amid protests by his party as the AAP chief claimed that the allegations of scam were false and the agency was acting at the BJP’s behest.

Meanwhile, in a fresh round of tussle, the AAP on Monday referred Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena’s objection over convening of the one-day Delhi Assembly session to privileges committee.

It also authorised the committee to examine if Saxena could be summoned by it in the matter.

Saxena’s objection to the summoning of Monday’s Assembly session is an “insult” to the House and does not behove the constitutional post he holds, the ruling AAP legislators alleged.

Deputy Speaker of Delhi Assembly Rakhi Birla, who was chairing the House sitting, alleged that attempts were being made to diminish the dignity and power of the House. She also ordered for referring the matter to the Committee of Privileges of the Assembly.

The L-G, in his note, had flagged “procedural lapses” in summoning of the one day session.

He had questioned under what circumstances and under which provision of the GNCTD Act, 1991 the Second Part of the Fourth Session (Budget session) of the Seventh Legislative Assembly was convened instead of moving a proposal for prorogation of the session and convening of the ‘One-Day Session as per the Delhi Cabinet decision. “Therefore, the proposed Second Part of Fourth session on April 17 being summoned without following the due procedure, should not be convened,” he had advised the government.

Birla chairing the House meeting, referred the matter to the Committee of Privileges.

“The Committee should examine and report whether there has been any breach of privilege and contempt and also whether the Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor can be summoned before the Committee or not,” she said. Under Rule 17 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Delhi Assembly, the Speaker has the power to call a sitting of the House “at any time after the House has been adjourned sine-die”. However as per prevailing parliamentary practice the Speaker convenes only on the recommendation of the Cabinet, she said.