Soon after skipping the joint press briefing, Kejriwal’s party, in a written statement, declared that it would not be a part of any alliance that includes Congress, until the grand old party publicly denounced the Centre’s ordinance on control of administrative officers in Delhi government.
It also said, “Until the Congress publicly denounces the ‘black ordinance’ and declares that all 31 of its Rajya Sabha members will oppose the ordinance in the Upper House, it will be difficult for AAP to participate in future meetings of like-minded (opposition) parties where the Congress is a participant.”Top leaders of altogether 15 parties attended the opposition meeting. But, the leaders of only 13 parties participated in the press briefing. Besides the four leaders of AAP, including Kejriwal, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, its RS members Sanjay Singh and Raghav Chadha, who attended the opposition meeting; Tamil Nadu CM and DMK leader M K Stalin also was conspicuous by his absence at the joint press briefing.
“A total of 15 parties are attending the like-minded parties meeting in Patna. Out of which, 12 parties have representation in the Rajya Sabha. Except the Congress, all other 11 parties which have representation in the Rajya Sabha, clearly expressed their stand against the ordinance and announced they would oppose it in the Rajya Sabha,” the AAP said in the statement.
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“The Congress, a national party that takes a stand on almost all issues, is yet to make its position on the black ordinance public. However, the Congress’ Delhi and Punjab units have announced that the party should support the Modi government on this issue. Today, during the (meeting of) like-minded parties in Patna, many parties urged the Congress to publicly denounce the black ordinance. However, the Congress refused to do so,” the AAP said.
The black ordinance is anti-constitutional and outright undemocratic. Furthermore, it seeks to reverse the Supreme Court’s judgment on the issue and is an affront to the judiciary, it said.
“The Congress’ hesitation and refusal to act as a team player, especially on an issue as important as this one, would make it very difficult for the AAP to be a part of any alliance that includes Congress,” Kejriwal’s party said.
The AAP further said it’s high time that the Congress decides whether it is standing with the people of Delhi or the Modi government.
“In personal discussions, senior Congress leaders have hinted that their party might informally or formally abstain from voting on it in the Rajya Sabha. The Congress’ abstention from voting on this issue will help the BJP immensely in furthering its attack on Indian democracy. If left unchallenged, this dangerous trend could spread to all other states, resulting in the usurpation of power from democratically elected state governments. It is crucial to defeat this black Ordinance,” the APP said in the statement.
On Thursday, the AAP had threatened to walk out of the opposition parties’ meeting if the Congress did not promise its support against the Centre’s ordinance.
The Centre had on May 19 promulgated an ordinance to create an authority for the transfer and posting of Group-A officers in Delhi, a week after the Supreme Court handed over the control of services in the capital, excluding police, public order and land, to the elected government.
Following the ordinance, Kejriwal has been reaching out to leaders of non-BJP parties to garner their support against the ordinance so that the Centre’s bid to replace it through a bill is defeated when it is brought in the Parliament.