SC judgement a big loss to AAP, says BJP

The BJP on Thursday described the Supreme Court verdict on the tussle between the Delhi government and the Centre over sharing of powers as a big loss to the Arvind Kejriwal government and asked the chief minister to apologise to the top court.

The remarks came soon after Kejriwal at a press conference termed the Supreme Court judgement "unfortunate" and asked how a government was supposed to function if it could not transfer or appoint its officers.

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court delivered a split verdict on the contentious issue of control of services in the National Capital Territory between the Delhi government and the Centre, and referred the matter to a larger bench.

Speaking to reporters, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said, "Today's Supreme Court judgement is a big loss for the AAP government."

He termed Kejriwal's criticism of the Supreme Court decision "a contempt of court" and said, "We are thinking to take legal action against Kejriwal."

The BJP spokesperson also accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor of provoking the people of Delhi against the Supreme Court. "He should apologise to the Supreme Court," he said.

Patra said, "On the one hand, he says that his government has done a fabulous job over the last four years, while on the other hand he himself admits that the Centre and the Supreme Court were not allowing his government to work."

Patra also attacked Kejriwal for attending a meeting with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar, Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee, Telugu Desam Party's N. Chandrababu Naidu and National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday.

"Earlier, he used to raise slogans to save the country from Sharad Pawar and Rahul Gandhi. Is this how he will save the country?" he asked.

Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju also slammed Kejriwal and said that he and the Congress do not trust any constitutional body. "They keep on criticising the Election Commission, the CAG, the Supreme Court and other institutions. Anarchy is in their scheme of things. They don't trust anybody, they just want to rule and loot," Rijiju told the media.

Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari tweeted, "Chief Minister, you as the head of a state should uphold the Constitution the most...Better read the history of Madan lal Khuranaji and Sahib Singh Vermaji. Kejriwalji, why you want to go beyond the Constitution and work?"

--IANS

aks/rtp/bg