Centre returned bills because Kejriwal refused to follow rules: BJP

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday said the Centre returned the Delhi government's bills because the "high-headed" Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) did not follow the due procedure.

BJP leader Satish Upadhyay told ANI that for the passage of a bill, a due procedure needs to be followed, whereas the Arvind Kejriwal government kept on violating law and disrespecting the Constitution.

"When you get elected, before assuming office you take an oath, and the oath says that one will follow the rules, the legalities and the constitution and govern accordingly. But the government, which itself says that we are anarchists, we don't abide by any law, disrespects the courts, disrespect people on the constitutional post. How can you expect out of them to keep in mind the legalities and follow a procedure," said Upadhyay.

"It should be seen that did they follow the due procedure to get the bill passed? For few bills you have to take permission of the LG but they say that won't seek his permission. Now the country will not work according to their sweet will, you cannot blatantly reject rules set in by the Constitution. That is why I believe that the Centre would have returned the bills," he added.

In a major setback to the AAP government, the Centre yesterday returned its as many as 14 pending bills, including the Jan Lokpal Bill.

The returning of the bill by the Centre drew a sharp response from Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who took to Twitter, castigate Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government.

While returning the bills, the Centre has reportedly said that the procedure was not followed and that the assent of Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung was not taken.

Meanwhile, the infuriated AAP said it was unfortunate for the nation that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not letting a fully-elected government to function.

"He wants to run the Delhi Government on his own directions. The bills that have returned by the Centre include the Lokpal Bill and the Citizen Charter Bill.

Modiji used to say that 'na khaunga na khane dunga'. But now he is saying that we will not let the bills pass," AAP leader Sanjay Singh told ANI.

"This decision clearly shows that the people of Delhi are being punished for choosing Arvind Kejriwal as their Chief Minister," he added.

The AAP supremo, in a series of tweets, alleged that the Centre is creating impediments in every aspect of the state government's functioning.

"It is my humble request to Prime Minister Modi that he should have a big heart. Have a big heart. Forget the defeat of the Delhi assembly elections and don't take revenge from the people of the city."

"Should the Centre have the right to block every law of the Delhi government? Is the Central government the headmaster of the Delhi government?" he added.