BJP prods President Pranab Mukherjee to limit AAP government’s ‘unconstitutional’ acts

NEW DELHI: A delegation of Delhi BJP members, including four of its MPs from the capital, requested President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday to intervene in the functioning of the Delhi government, which, it claimed, has created a "constitutional crisis".

With CM Arvind Kejriwal challenging the constitutional authority of lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung again and again, it is high time the AAP government is reminded about its limits, said BJP. "AAP has tried to write its own set of rules in every matter, be it administrative postings, political appointments or taking administrative decisions requiring the LG's approval. We have requested the President to intervene," said Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay after the delegation met the President.

The delegation included Delhi BJP in-charge Shyam Jaju, Union minister Harsh Vardhan, leader of the opposition Vijender Gupta, and MPs Ramesh Bidhuri, Parvesh Verma, Udit Raj and Meenakshi Lekhi.

In the memorandum, BJP listed out a number of Bills and resolutions like the Delhi Members of Legislative Assembly (Removal of Disqualification) (Amendment) Bill 2015 that the AAP government had passed "unconstitutionally". Similarly, in the Delhi Netaji Subash University of Technology Bill 2015, the constitutional term 'Government' has been wrongly explained, claimed a senior member.

"This government has also passed a resolution and constituted a commission of inquiry to look into gender-related crimes. The additional solicitor general advised that the assembly can't pass such a resolution but still they went ahead. It is a clear case of political overreach," said Gupta.

The team also pointed out how the government had been making appointments without the LG's nod. The LG and the government have been at loggerheads over the appointments of the chief of Delhi Women's Commission and directors to Board of Power Supply Companies, and hiking circle rates for agricultural land.

The issue of several cases against AAP legislators were also brought up during the discussion. BJP also alleged that the CM and his colleagues had used undignified language about PM Narendra Modi.