Video Producer: Naman Shah
Video Editor: Abhishek Sharma
The Rajya Sabha on April 5 witnessed a furious exchange between Home Minister Amit Shah and Aam Aadmi Party's MP Sanjay Singh over the Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2022. The bill sought to unify the three municipal corporations of Delhi.
Delhi Government's Step-motherly Treatment Hindering MCDs: Shah
Continuing his attack on Delhi's AAP government which he started from the Lok Sabha, Amit Shah in Rajya Sabha said, "Delhi government's step-motherly behaviour hinders the efficient working of all the three MCDs. If the state/UT governments behave in a step-motherly fashion with civic bodies, neither Panchayati Raj nor urban local bodies will be successful."
"Delhi MCD witnessed over 250 major strikes in the past 10 years. Only two strikes happened in the previous decade. What led to such a drastic rise in strikes? This is because of the step-motherly treatment of the AAP government," he added while tabling the bill in Rajya Sabha.
'This Is a'Kejriwal-Phobia' Bill': Sanjay Singh
Retorting to Shah's accusation, AAP's Sanjay Singh said, "the home minister alleges step-motherly treatment by AAP but the central government has only given Rs 325 crore annually to Delhi's MCDs from 2014-15 to 2019-20. Delhi's taxpayers contribute lakhs of crores but Centre gives only Rs 325 crore."
He claimed that AAP's state government has provided support of thousands of crores to the MCDs with the latest being of over Rs 6,000 crore.
"If you don't have the courage to contest the MCD election, I will suggest to name this bill the 'Kejriwal-phobia' bill," Singh said in the parliament.
Worry About Saving Your Government: Amit Shah
Replying to Opposition's remarks against the bill, Amit Shah said, "questions have been raised on the government's constitutional capacity to bring the Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2022. Those who call us power-hungry should look at themselves in the mirror."
"We have no fear of losing or any arrogance of victory," he further said. Shah also said that the bill was in no way an attack on the federal structure.
Countering Sanjay Singh's claims of budget allocation, Shah said that the Centre's assistance to Delhi have only increased. "If you keep presenting untruth in the parliament, then instead of winning MCD, you will have to worry about saving your government in Delhi," he added.
The Rajya Sabha has passed The Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2022. The bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on 30 March.
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